Abstract
The discovery of the JAK-STAT pathway was a landmark in cell biology. The identification of these pathways has changed the landscape of treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. The two first (unselective) JAK inhibitors have recently been approved by the US FDA for the treatment of myelofibrosis and rheumatoid arthritis and many other JAK inhibitors are currently in clinical development or at the discovery stage. Research groups have demonstrated the different roles of JAK member and the therapeutic potential of targeting them selectively. JAK1 plays a critical and potentially dominant role in the transduction of γc cytokine (γc = common γ chain) and in IL-6 signaling. In this review, we will discuss the state-of-the-art research that evokes JAK1 selective inhibition.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The authors are employees of Galapagos NV, which has a JAK1 selective inhibitor in Phase IIb clinical trial. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.