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bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.01.30.701821

Targeting activated IL-23 signaling in Scleroderma by tildrakizumab

Verma, P.·Goncalves, R. M.·Bale, S.·Silverman, J.·Hamill, T.·Shah, K.·Yalavarthi, B.·Bhattacharyya, D.·Bhattacharyya, S.·Varga, J.
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Abstract

The pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc) involves immune system dysregulation and progressive multi-organ fibrosis. Aberrant interleukin-23 (IL-23) function is linked to many inflammatory conditions. Tildrakizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to the p19 subunit of IL-23 to block its interaction with the IL-23 receptor, is FDA-approved for treating psoriasis. IL-23 levels are increased in SSc patients with lung involvement, but the pathogenic role of IL-23 in SSc fibrosis remains unclear. We examined IL-23 expression in SSc skin biopsies and assessed the effects of IL-23 inhibition in an in vivo fibrosis model. We found increased IL-23 expression in SSc compared to healthy skin biopsies. Pharmacological blockade of IL-23 signaling using tildrakizumab reversed experimental skin and lung fibrosis. Our findings support a pathogenic role of IL-23 in SSc and suggest that tildrakizumab could be a novel antifibrotic treatment strategy for SSc and related fibrotic disorders. Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=162 SRC="FIGDIR/small/701821v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (37K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@777c8aorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@9163f5org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1399a54org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@c30ec2_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

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Verma, P., Goncalves, R. M., Bale, S., Silverman, J., Hamill, T., Shah, K., Yalavarthi, B., Bhattacharyya, D., Bhattacharyya, S., Varga, J.. 2026-02-02. Targeting activated IL-23 signaling in Scleroderma by tildrakizumab. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.01.30.701821

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