Besides conventional therapy (5-aminosalicylic acid, glucocorticoids, and immunomodulators), current advances in our understanding of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) pathogenesis have led to the development of antibody-based biologics such as antitumor necrosis factor alpha and anti-integrin antibodies. However, a large number of patients do not respond to biologics.Biologics have practical disadvantages resulting from hidden expenses due to their intravenous/subcutaneous administration. In addition, they are unstable, with a week-long half-life.An unmet need exists for the development of easily administered oral, stable, cheap, and non-immunogenic drugs with a shorter half-life.Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) signals through S1P1–5 receptors and has recently received attention as a ‘druggable’ target in various inflammatory disorders. S1P modulates lymphocyte egress from lymph nodes into the circulation and accumulation of lymphocytes in inflamed intestinal segments can occur with disease; these cells can subsequently intensify an inflammatory response in the intestine by producing proinflammatory cytokines.S1P receptor modulators constitute a new and promising approach to the treatment of a range of inflammatory disorders including IBD.