New Targets for Small Molecules in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

WS Historically, we have treated inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) using small molecules such as prednisone, budesonide, and mesalamine, along with immunosuppressive drugs such as azathioprine, 6-mercaptopurine, and methotrexate. Until infliximab (Remicade, Janssen) was approved in 1998, the treatment of IBD was entirely based on small molecules. Since that time, virtually all new medications approved for IBD have been biologics.