Target Analysis - Toll-like receptors
Understanding Toll-like receptors
It is clear that a great many attempts to use TLR manipulation for the treatment of infectious, allergic and autoimmune diseases, as well as cancer, are in the very early stages of development, and so far clinical trials have presented a mixed bag of results. Table 2 shows a snapshot of drugs currently in development that target TLR signalling. Today, the most successful TLR candidate in development is Ampligen, a mismatched, double-stranded RNA which activates TLR3 and is currently awaiting registration in the US for the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome, an illness that is not fully understood, but often seems to be associated with viral infection. Ampligen is also in Phase II development for HIV and hepatitis infections, as well as for the treatment of cancer.
As we begin to understand more about innate immunity, including the role of TLRs, both for defending the body against invading pathogens, and for repairing damage caused by disease or injury, perhaps we will learn to harness this knowledge in the development of effective therapeutics. There have already been some successes, but this field of immunology is still relatively new and as such it will be exciting to see what the future holds!
Leanne Coyne
Pharmaprojects Analyst
