Emerging therapies for the treatment of systemic sclerosis

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease in which fibrotic, vascular, autoimmune and fibrotic mechanisms synergize to promote disease progression. SSc is associated with high morbidity and mortality, primarily owing to fibrotic tissue remodelling and subsequent organ failure. Despite progress with the approval of novel therapies, mortality remains high; approximately half of the people diagnosed with SSc will succumb to disease. This statistic highlights the considerable need for novel, effective therapies. Indeed, SSc has become a disease with very active drug development. Numerous drugs with different modes of actions are currently evaluated in or are about to enter clinical trials in SSc. These clinical trials provide hope for effectively slowing or even halting the progression of fibrosis and thereby further improving outcomes for patients with SSc. This Review provides a comprehensive overview of emerging therapies for the treatment of systemic sclerosis. The authors highlight novel therapeutic targets and emphasize the need for precision medicine approaches for the effective treatment of this disease.