Directing drugs to the joint-draining lymphatics to treat autoimmune inflammatory arthritis

Current medicines to treat rheumatoid (autoimmune) arthritis can be useful to manage pain and reduce disease progression by inhibiting the body's immune system. Despite these benefits, they are ineffective in up to 80% of patients and are given non-specifically, allowing them to access other tissues and immune cells in the body. Unfortunately, this can lead to severe to side effects as it weakens the whole body's defence system. To improve treatment safety and effectiveness, this thesis focuses on directing immunomodulating medicines to where they're needed most: specifically at the lymph nodes draining arthritic joints and the joints themselves.