By Supreet Agarwal

Cytokines represent the major class of all the soluble ligands targeted by FDA-approved drugs 

Major cytokines’ (interferons, interleukins and chemokines) targeted therapies

Cytokines represent the major class of all the soluble ligands targeted by FDA-approved drugs. Major cytokines' (interferons, interleukins and chemokines) targeted therapies

Figures adapted from:

Attwood, M.M., Jonsson, J., Rask-Andersen, M. et al. Soluble ligands as drug targets.

 Nat Rev Drug Discov 19, 695–710 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41573-020-0078-4

Cytokines based therapies approved in 2020

Two new treatments for patients with a condition called, deficiency of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, a very rare genetic inflammatory condition resembling an infection throughout the body or a bone infection that happens in newborns during the first days of life.

Arcalyst (rilonacept), [see also, Kineret, below], injection, originally approved in 2008 to treat patients with different forms of cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome, which is a rare hereditary inflammatory disorder with symptoms that can include HIV-1-like rash, fatigue, headache, fever, pain and swelling in joints, and red eyes. In 2020, this drug was also approved for the treatment of patients with deficiency of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, a very rare genetic inflammatory condition resembling an infection throughout the body or a bone infection that happens in newborns during the first days of life.

Kineret (anakinra) [see also, Arcalyst, above], injection, first approved by CDER in 2001 to treat certain patients with active rheumatoid arthritis. It was approved in 2020, for the treatment of patients with deficiency of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, a very rare genetic inflammatory condition resembling an infection throughout the body or a bone infection that happens in newborns during the first days of life.

Source: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/new-drugs-fda-cders-new-molecular-entities-and-new-therapeutic-biological-products/new-drug-therapy-approvals-2020

Other links for cytokine-based therapies – approved to date and in trial

https://go.drugbank.com/categories/DBCAT000079