Financial & competing interests disclosure Seven authors (G Lorenzo, M Cepeda, M Ramos, D Saavedra, Z Mazorra, K Leon and T Crombet) currently work for the Center of Molecular Immunology, the institution that generated and originally patented itolizumab. The remaining authors do not have any commercial or financial relationships that could be taken as a potential conflict of interest. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.