Summary
- Researchers have discovered a major cause of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and found a weak spot in DNA present in 95% of people with IBD
- Existing drugs, specifically MEK inhibitors used in cancer treatment, were found to be effective in treating inflammation in immune cells and gut samples from patients with IBD
- The discovery of this genetic pathway that can be targeted therapeutically raises hopes for better treatments for IBD
- The study, published in Nature, was funded by various organizations and involved collaboration across the UK and Europe
