Modulators of microglia: a patent review

Introduction: Microglia are highly dynamic immune cells that play a key role in the development, hemostasis and inflammatory response of the central nervous system. These cells could be a valid therapeutic target because of their involvement in the inflammatory scenario in many neuropathological diseases. Area covered: Many attempts have aimed to act on microglial cells through different approaches, for instance as viral carriers to transfer genetic material, anti-inflammatory drugs to polarize and shift microglia from M1 toward an M2 phenotype, and stem cell therapy. Expert opinion: The challenge remains to find ways to act selectively on this population in the inflammatory site. Original approaches are genetic targeting or pharmacological therapies that exploit some nanomaterials to deliver promising compounds. These results strongly encourage work aimed to modulate activated microglia, laying the base for treating many neurological diseases.