UCB Crohn’s treatment said to bring long-term relief

A trial shows a new drug aimed at treating people with Crohn’s disease is effective and safe, its manufacturer says.

UCB’s data on Cimzia was collected over 18 months and involved 1,300 Crohn’s patients who received continuous treatment during this period.

The majority of patients showed continued remission and many of those who began taking Cimzia again also showed remission, UCB said.

Crohn’s is a progressive, destructive inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract characterised by pain, ulcers and diarrhoea.

For patients with moderate to severe symptoms, who have not responded to other therapies, Cimzia is the first PEGylated anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha antibody approved for reducing symptoms of the disease and maintaining clinical response.

Study investigator Gary R Lichtenstein, from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, said that in clinical trials Cimzia “showed remarkable and sustainable long-term results without the need for dose escalation”.

“Patients can achieve long-term symptom relief and remission regardless of the magnitude and rapidity of onset of the initial response,” he added.