Antifibrotic Actions of Serelaxin – New Roles for an Old Player

Fibrosis represents a failed wound healing response to tissue injury. It is characterized by the accumulation of excess connective tissue and is a significant cause of organ failure, morbidity, and mortality. Fibrotic disorders accompany a wide spectrum of conditions including both systemic and organ-specific diseases, for which there is currently no effective cure. Serelaxin, the recombinant form of the major stored and circulating form of human relaxin, has emerged as a pleiotropic drug with rapidly occurring antifibrotic actions. This review discusses the effectiveness of serelaxin as an antifibrotic, and how it augments the actions of several other therapeutics leading to its potential use not only as a monotherapy but also as an adjunct therapy with other antifibrotic agents.