Treating inflammation with the Janus kinase inhibitor CP-690,550.

Commonly used immunosuppressants possess several significant dose-limiting toxicities, prompting the search for agents whose mechanisms of action are limited to immune cells. Inhibition of Janus Kinase 3 (JAK3), a hematopoetic cell-restricted tyrosine kinase, represents an attractive target for immunosuppression owing to its limited distribution in tissue and specific role in lymphoid homeostasis. CP-690,550, a JAK3 inhibitor undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of transplant rejection and autoimmune disorders, has shown efficacy similar to comparator immunosuppressants.