Understanding the root cause of inflammatory diseases | Takeda Stories
Understanding the root cause of inflammatory diseases
This information is available to the public for disease awareness only. The animation and the orchestra analogy are for illustrative purposes only. Please consult your healthcare provider for medical advice. Takeda does not have any product approved for targeting TYK2 at the time of this publication and there's no assurance of approval for such products in the future.
Inflammation is an important defense mechanism the immune system uses to protect against threats like viruses or bacteria1. But activation of the immune system in the absence of such threats can lead to chronic inflammatory diseases including psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease1.
Graham Heap, MD., PhD., vice president and global clinical lead for our immunology franchise, gastrointestinal and inflammation therapeutic area unit says: “Millions of people are affected by immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Our focus is to advance our understanding of the shared immunological pathway that is implicated in these diseases2-3 to address inflammation by engaging with a genetically4 and clinically validated5 target – TYK2.”
A family of enzymes referred to as Janus Kinases or JAKs can orchestrate an immune response which contributes to inflammation. This immune response can be likened to an orchestra in which the instruments represent the members of the JAK family – JAK1, JAK2, JAK3, and tyrosine kinase 2 or TYK2 - each with their unique role in contributing to the symphony.
While JAK1, JAK2, and JAK3 perform many different biological functions or tunes in addition to contributing to an immune response, TYK2 is a member of the family dedicated to maintaining the steady rhythm of the immune response2-3. In individuals with certain inflammatory diseases, TYK2 becomes hyperactive and metaphorically loud, leading to an exaggerated immune response and chronic inflammation.
Keeping with our orchestra analogy, imagine a conductor trying to restore balance to the symphony but needs help to do so. To that end, there is ongoing research, including at Takeda, to find ways to address the exaggerated immune response by targeting TYK2 in people living with certain inflammatory diseases.
In Graham’s words, “Our company has been innovating for patients for more than 240 years. Our goal is to advance understanding of TYK2 biology and harness cutting edge science in service of people living with inflammatory diseases with continued unmet need.”
“Millions of people are affected by immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Our focus is to advance our understanding of the shared immunological pathway that is implicated in these diseases to address inflammation by engaging with a genetically and clinically validated target – TYK2.”
Graham Heap, MD., PhD., Vice President and Global Immunology Franchise Lead.
Watch the 2-minute video on this page to learn more about the members of the “immune orchestra”, including TYK2, and the importance of advancing research in the immune pathways implicated in certain inflammatory diseases.
References
- Fullerton, J. N. & Gilroy, D. W. Resolution of inflammation: a new therapeutic frontier. Nat. Rev. Drug Discov. 2016; 15, 551-567.
- Shang L, Cao J, Zhao S, Zhang J, He Y. TYK2 in immune responses and treatment of psoriasis. J Inflamm Res. 2022;15:5373-5385. doi:10.2147/JIR.S380686.
- Muromoto R, Oritani K, Matsuda T. Current understanding of the role of tyrosine kinase 2 signaling in immune responses. World J Biol Chem. 2022;13(1):1-14. doi:10.4331/wjbc.v13.i1.1.
- Dendrou CA. et al. Resolving TYK2 locus genotype-to-phenotype differences in autoimmunity. Sci Transl Med. 2016; 8(363) 363ra149. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aag1974.
- Armstrong AW. et al. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2023; 88(1):29-39; doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2022.07.002.
