Center for Innovative Therapy (CIT)

Dedicated to Bringing New Treatment to People With Arthritis and Inflammatory Disease

Over the past several decades, researchers in the Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology at UCSD have been at the forefront of innovative, cutting-edge basic research in immunology. Clinically, members of the division have conducted a large number of trials of new agents in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, scleroderma, and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Recent Publications
Tocilizumab monotherapy versus adalimumab monotherapy for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, the Lancet

At the end of 1999, the UCSD Center for Innovative Therapy (CIT) was established within the division to better coordinate these activities. The goal of the CIT is to facilitate the translation of novel therapeutics for immunologic and inflammatory diseases from the bench to the bedside, with an emphasis on biologicals and investigator-initiated approaches. To accomplish this, the center will initiate and conduct studies assessing novel immunomodulatory therapies. Moreover, laboratory investigations to delineate the pathophysiological basis of rheumatic and other immunologic diseases will be performed in conjunction with the clinical studies. 

Mission 

The mission of the Center for Innovative Therapy (CIT) is to improve patient health through the discovery and evaluation of innovative therapies for immune-mediated and inflammatory diseases.

We achieve this goal by identifying novel therapeutic targets, facilitating their translation from bench to bedside, and designing and implementing clinical studies. We focus on early proof-of-concept and biomarker-based studies, encouraging investigator-initiated trials, and providing educational opportunities for clinicians and researchers.