Although originally identified already in 1990, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) only recently has attracted interest as a target for novel anti-inflammatory interventions. GM-CSF plays a key role in the development and progression of autoimmune and other inflammatory diseases. Antibodies directed against GM-CSF dramatically reduced disease severity in animal models of rheumatoid arthritis, whereas administration of GM-CSF to mice exacerbated experimental arthritis. In contrast, mice deficient in GM-CSF were protected from collagen-induced arthritis. A number of animal models have also confirmed the role of M-CSF in various inflammatory diseases. And G-CSF stimulates the differentiation and activation of inflammatory cells which infiltrate into sites such as airways in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (CPD) and arthritic joints in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). As of January 2008, three antibodies targeting GM-CSF, its receptor or M-CSF are already in clinical development and three further are about to enter the clinic within one year.

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