Authors: Le, Giang T.; Abbenante, Giovanni

Source: Current Medicinal Chemistry, Volume 12, Number 25, December 2005 , pp. 2963-2977(15)

Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers

Abstract:

TNF- neutralising agents such as Infliximab (Remicade®), Etanercept (Enbrel®) and the IL-1 receptor antagonist Anakinra (Kineret®), are currently used clinically for the treatment of many inflammatory diseases such as Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis. These protein preparations are expensive to manufacture and administer, need to be injected and can cause allergic reactions. An alternative approach to lowering the levels of TNF- and IL- 1 in inflammatory disease, is to inhibit the enzymes that generate these cytokines using cheaper small molecules. This paper is a broad overview of the progress that has been achieved so far, with respect to small molecule inhibitor design and pharmacological studies (in animals and humans), for the metalloprotease Tumour Necrosis Factor- Converting Enzyme (TACE) and the cysteine protease Caspase-1 (Interleukin-1 Converting Enzyme, ICE). Inhibitors of these two enzymes are currently considered to be good therapeutic targets that have the potential to provide relatively inexpensive and orally bioavailable anti-inflammatory agents in the future.

Keywords: protease; tace; caspase-1; ice; inhibitor; review

Document Type: Review article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/092986705774462851

Affiliations: 1: Centre for Drug Design and Development, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.

Publication date: 2005-12-01

More about this publication?

• Current Medicinal Chemistry covers all the latest and outstanding developments in medicinal chemistry and rational drug design. Each issue contains a series of timely in-depth reviews written by leaders in the field covering a range of the current topics in medicinal chemistry. Current Medicinal Chemistry is an essential journal for every medicinal chemist who wishes to be kept informed and up-to-date with the latest and most important developments.

Related content

• In this: publication
• By this: publisher
• In this Subject: Pharmacology
• By this author: Le, Giang T. ;  Abbenante, Giovanni

Website © Publishing Technology. Article copyright remains with the publisher, society or author(s) as specified within the article.

• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Information for advertisers