Novel therapeutics to treat chronic pancreatitis: targeting pancreatic stellate cells and macrophages

IntroductionChronic pancreatitis (CP) is a persistent, recurrent, and progressive disorder that is characterized by chronic inflammation and irreversible fibrosis of the pancreas. It is associated with severe morbidity, resulting in intense abdominal pain, diabetes, exocrine and endocrine dysfunction, and an increased risk of pancreatic cancer. The etiological factors are diverse and the major risk factors include smoking, chronic alcoholism, as well as other environmental and genetic factors. The treatment and management of CP is challenging, and no definitive curative therapy is currently available.Areas coveredThis review paper aims to provide an overview of the different cell types in the pancreas that is known to mediate disease progression and outline potential novel therapeutic approaches and drug targets that may be effective in treating and managing CP. The information presented in this review was obtained by conducting a NCBI PubMed database search, using relevant keywords.Expert opinionIn recent years, there has been an increased interest in the development of novel therapeutics for CP. A collaborative multi-disciplinary approach coupled with a consistent funding for research can expedite progress of translating the findings from bench to bedside.