Broadening immunology's reach

Rather than resting on its laurels in rheumatology and other traditional autoimmune indications, Johnson & Johnson's immunology group has spent several years pursuing its understanding of inflammation into new diseases. The recent decision to take psoriasis drug Stelara ustekinumab into the clinic for primary biliary cirrhosis shows the group continues to expand its turf.

While the Immunology Therapeutic Area is pursuing both line extensions and NMEs in rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and inflammatory bowel diseases, it began work six or seven years ago in new areas where the pharma thought it could exploit a growing expertise in the interaction between the immune system and other tissues in the body...