Janssen reports positive Crohn’s disease data for Stelara

Janssen has announced new clinical trial data showing demonstrating the effectiveness of its drug Stelara in the treatment of Crohn's disease.

Results from the phase III study UNITI-2 showed treatment with Stelara induced clinical response and clinical remission in patients with moderate to severe Crohn's disease who had previously failed conventional therapy.

The majority of patients were naive to treatment with anti-tumour necrosis factor-alpha therapy, with the drug achieving its primary endpoint of providing significantly higher rates of clinical response at week six when compared with placebo.

Major secondary endpoints of clinical response and clinical remission at week eight were also significantly higher among patients receiving Stelara, it was shown.

Dr Newman Yeilding, head of immunology development at Janssen's research and development division, said: "The Stelara phase III UNITI-2 induction results are important findings, as induction of clinical response and clinical remission are important goals in the management of Crohn's disease."

Stelara is a monoclonal antibody that works by targeting the IL-12 and IL-23 cytokines, which are believed to play a role in immune-mediated conditions such as Crohn's disease.