Abbott sees Humira demonstrate improvements in Crohn’s disease

Abbott has reported that its candidate Humira (adalimumab) has shown long-term improvements in fistula response and healing rates in difficult-to-treat patients with Crohn’s disease.

The first two-year data from its Charm trial demonstrated that more than half of patients receiving Humira had continued fistula healing.

Abbott presented the new results at the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation Annual Meeting in Lyon, France.

Jean-Frederic Colombel, professor at the Hopital Huriez in Lille, explained that fistulas were a “serious complication” of Crohn’s disease that could lead to invasive surgery.

Out of the 854 patients involved in the study, 60 per cent experienced fistula healing at one year with Humira treatment, while 76 per cent had continued fistula healing for one more year.

“Humira’s ability to heal, and keep healed, a majority of fistulas among patients studied, reinforces that Humira is an effective and convenient treatment option for severe and active Crohn’s disease,” said Rebecca Hoffman, from Humira clinical development at Abbott.

Last year, Abbott confirmed that Humira had received marketing authorisation from the European commission for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.