Professor Sir Marc Feldmann, Emeritus Professor at the Kennedy Institute and Professor Sir Ravinder Maini, Emeritus Professor and former Director of the Kennedy, forged a partnership in early 1980s which not only changed the nature of therapeutics but led a revolution in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. The repercussions of the discovery of anti-TNF therapy have been immense, not only in rheumatology and medicine, but also providing cost-effective therapeutic alternatives to chemical drugs. This changed the drug development strategy of the pharmaceutical industry and the face of rheumatology.
The history of anti-TNF began when Feldmann and Maini’s early partnership led to a discovery that a protein called Tumour Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-α) played a key role in joint inflammation.
In the 1990s, their research showed that by blocking TNF-α with an antibody (anti-TNF) reduces joint inflammation in mice. Despite considerable scepticism amongst the scientific, clinical and pharmaceutical communities, they went on to pioneer key clinical trials and demonstrated that anti-TNF used in combination with low dose Methotrexate results in significant enhancement in quality of life and protects joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. This method of treatment became the standard of care for RA patients.
Their research laid the groundwork for biologics to improve the quality of life for millions of people suffering from autoimmune diseases including juvenile RA, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis. New conditions are continually being explored including recent research into using anti-TNF to treat COVID-19.
Professor Dame Fiona Powrie, Director of the Kennedy Institute congratulated Feldmann and Maini on their Royal Society Medal and said: ‘Few scientists have had such an impact on the therapy of a spectrum of hard-to-treat and life-shortening chronic inflammatory and tissue destructive diseases. Ravinder and Marc’s discoveries have been hugely impactful, one for the progress of molecular medicine and two improving the quality of life of millions of patients with disabling and life-threatening disease.’
The annual Royal Society Awards recognise exceptional research achievements through a series of prestigious medals and prizes.
Building on a breakthrough: the lasting impact of biologic therapy
A new booklet 'Building on a breakthrough: the lasting impact of biologic therapy' chronicles the revolutionary anti-TNF discovery story. From the early research and clinical trials that led to its discovery, through to its eventual approval for routine use in the clinic, anti-TNF has ushered in a new era of medicine that has since seen a plethora of similar treatments for inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and inflammatory bowel disease.