Bincy Abraham, MD: Treating IBD Patients With Upadacitinib

New data shows upadacitinib is a viable option for treating patients with Crohn’s disease.

A team of investigators, led by Edward V. Loftus, Jr., MD, FACG, Professor of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, evaluated the efficacy and safety of upadacitinib 15 mg once daily and 30 mg maintenance in patients with Crohn’s disease.

The study was presented as a late-breaking abstract at the 2022 American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) Annual Meeting in Charlotte.

The patient population included individuals with moderate to severe Crohn’s disease who responded to upadacitinib 45 mg once daily over 12 weeks in 1 induction study.

Each patient was randomized to receive either of the 2 upadacitinib doses or placebo during the 52 week maintenance trial.

The investigators found a greater proportion of the upadacitinib 15 mg (n = 169) and upadacitinib 30 mg (n = 168) group achieved clinical remission based on the Crohn’s Disease Activity Index (CDAI) (Upadacitinib 15mg 37.3%; upadacitinib 30mg, 47.6%; placebo, 15.1%). This was also found using SF/APS (Upadacitinib 15 mg, 35.5%; upadacitinib 30 mg, 46.4%; placebo, 14.4%), (P <0.0001 for all comparisons).

In both groups of upadacitinib patients, there were greater rates of endoscopic response (upadacitinib 15 mg, 27.6%; upadacitinib 30 mg, 40.1%; placebo, 7.3%; P <0.0001 for both comparisons).

In an interview with HCPLive®, Bincy Abraham, MD, Director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program at Houston Methodist Hospital, explained how promising upadacitinib is and why clinicians may be on the verge of precision medicine for treating IBD.