Lessons from next generation influenza vaccines for inflammatory disease therapies

Lessons can be learned for treating inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from next generation approaches for development of universal influenza vaccines. Immunomodulation of inflammatory diseases, rather than ablation of cytokine or cellular responses, can address the root cause of the disease and provide potential cure. Like influenza, there are different antigenic ‘strains’ and inflammatory T cell responses, Th1 or Th17, that drive each person's disease. As such, next generation vaccine-like antigen specific therapies for inflammatory diseases can be developed but will need to be customized to the patient depending upon the antigen and T cell response that is driving the disease. •T cell immunogens are Next Generation influenza vaccines.•Antigen specific rheumatoid arthritis (RA) therapy will target T cells.•Immunomodulation rather than ablation may provide cure of RA.•Triggers and immune responses driving RA are individualistic.•Antigen specific therapy for rheumatoid arthritis can be personalized.