Anti-IL-6

Anti-interleukin-6 agents are a recent class of therapeutics. Interleukin 6 is a cytokine relevant to many inflammatory diseases and many cancers. Hence, anti-IL6 agents have been sought.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The first approved antibody directed against IL6-receptor is the tocilizumab (Actemra).

In clinical trials : Sarilumab and Olokizumab for Rheumatoid arthritis,^[6] Elsilimomab for some cancers, Anti-IL6 chimeric monoclonal antibody (CNTO 328), ALD518/BMS-945429, CNTO 136, CPSI-2364,^[7] CDP6038.^[8]

Pre-clinical : VX30 for rheumatoid arthritis.^[9] Also ARGX-109,^[10] FE301,^[11] FM101^[12]

Exercise induced IL-6

New research has found IL-6 to be an anti-inflammatory cytokine with multiple beneficial effects when released by contracting muscle as a myokine. IL-6 had previously been classified as a proinflammatory cytokine. Therefore, it was first thought that the exercise-induced IL-6 response was related to muscle damage.^[13] However, it has become evident that eccentric exercise is not associated with a larger increase in plasma IL-6 than exercise involving concentric “nondamaging” muscle contractions. This finding clearly demonstrates that muscle damage is not required to provoke an increase in plasma IL-6 during exercise. As a matter of fact, eccentric exercise may result in a delayed peak and a much slower decrease of plasma IL-6 during recovery.^[14]

Anti-IL-6 therapies should therefore take into consideration the (beneficial) anti-inflammatory effects of myokines generally, including the now-established multiple benefits of muscle-derived Interleukin 6. ^[15]

Food and diet

It has been reported that lunasin, a soy peptide, reduces inflammation by reducing interleukin 6 and may help in leukemia.^[16]

Luteolin reduces IL-6 production in some neurons.^[17]

References