Epigenetic therapies, a step beyond biologics for rheumatoid arthritis

Over the last decade, the management of rheumatoid arthritis has evolved as a result of both the understanding of disease-related processes and the availability of the necessary high-throughput technology to provide patients with molecule-based therapies. New therapies allow the classification of patients into subsets as regards clinical response, at the same time adding to our knowledge of rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis. New generations of molecules will likely soon be ready for “a la carte” treatment of patients. A promising field of research is epigenetics. Epigenetic regulatory mechanisms switch on and off the transcription of specific genes in individual cells. Acting as observers on non-adequate gene expression, these mechanisms yield protection against the development of tumours. The major achievement of epigenetic therapies could be their selective action on cells with altered epigenetic programs, and it is our challenge to recognize these alterations among patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Although safety concerns may arise, epigenetic drugs will likely be used to treat autoimmune diseases.