Title:Biotherapy for Autoimmune Liver Diseases
Volume: 15
Issue: 6
Author(s): Mei Liu, Yu Chen, Sujun Zheng, Zhongping Duan and Jian-Ying Zhang
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), autoimmune liver disease, biotherapy, primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), primary sclerosing
cholangitis (PSC).
Abstract: Autoimmune liver diseases are chronic inflammatory conditions leading to an etiologically undefined immunemediated
attack aimed at hepatocytes and the biliary epithelium. Drugs used in autoimmune liver disease such as ursodeoxycholic
acid, prednisolone and azathioprine are not effective in all patients, therefore, new therapeutic approaches are
needed for autoimmune liver diseases that are refractory to standard therapy. Biotherapy is a thriving area of research and
development, and is used in the treatment of chronic autoimmune liver diseases. However, to date, there is no clinically
validated standard biotherapy for autoimmune liver diseases. Thus, future clinical trials are required to evaluate the effectiveness
and safety of biotherapy before this approach can be used in routine clinical practice for the therapy of autoimmune
liver diseases. This article provides an overview of emerging biotherapy for autoimmune liver diseases.
