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Flurry of deal-making surrounds new autoimmunity target

Nature Medicine volume 19, page 1078 (2013)Cite this article

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A Correction to this article was published on 07 October 2013

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In autoimmune diseases ranging from psoriasis to Crohn's disease, an excess of T helper 17 (TH17) cells, and the cytokine signaling molecules they produce, is a dominant factor in keeping the immune system in constant overdrive. Clinical approaches to targeting this firehose of immune activation have largely taken one approach: blocking overabundant cytokines. But recent research on a previously underappreciated receptor suggests that there could be a better approach. By modulating the activity of a protein called retinoic acid–related orphan receptor-gamma t (RORγt), scientists have discovered they can prevent the differentiation of TH17 cells from T cell precursors in the thymus.

The findings have led to a flurry of activity among large drug companies seeking to add RORγt research programs to their portfolios. Most recently, on 31 July, Amgen, the California biotech giant, announced a collaboration with Japan-based Teijin Pharma Limited to discover, develop and commercialize small-molecule drugs that target RORγt.

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Change history

  • 27 September 2013

     In the September 2013 news story "Flurry of deal-making surrounds new autoimmunity target" (Nat. Med. 19, 1078, 2013), Ling Zhuang's affiliation and gender were misidentified. She works at GBI Research, not GlobalData. The error has been corrected in the HTML and PDF versions of the article.

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  1. Sarah C P Williams
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Williams, S. Flurry of deal-making surrounds new autoimmunity target. Nat Med 19, 1078 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0913-1078a

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