Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, inflammatory, systemic, autoimmune disease characterized by symmetric arthritis of diarthrodial joints leading to progressive erosion of cartilage and bone. The individual and social impacts of RA are of great importance.
Objective: To investigate the development of new therapies for RA treatment.
Methods: Various databases have been searched for new drugs in clinical trials (Phase I - III) and experimental future therapeutic agents for RA.
Results/conclusion: The current management of the disease includes the use of disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and the biologic therapies. Progress in our understanding of RA pathophysiology led to the identification of new therapeutic targets. These include pro-inflammatory cytokines, T and B cells, adhesion molecules, chemokines and intra- and extracellular signaling pathways. Therapeutic modulation of the above targets can provide new treatment strategies. This article reviews a few of the new treatment strategies currently being evaluated.