Every year there are seemingly more and more biologics approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

However, with the number of therapies on the market, it can get confusing looking at which biologic targets which pathway and whether they are earmarked for patients with Crohn’s disease, patients with ulcerative colitis, or patients with either disease.

The following list will focus on some of the more common therapies for IBD, what they are used for, and what they target specifically.

Adalimumab (Humira)

• Adalimumab is an anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy currently approved for the treatment of both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
• The FDA has also approved adalimumab for other conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, plaque psoriasis, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Golimumab (Simponi)

• Golimumab has been approved the FDA since 2013 for the treatment of patients with ulcerative colitis. The anti-TNF treatment targets IL-6, while providing reductions in C-reactive proteins.
• The treatment is also approved for the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis.

Infliximab (Remicade)

• Infliximab, another anti-TNF therapy, is currently approved by the FDA for both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
• The FDA has also approved infliximab for a handful other conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and Bechet’s disease.

Risankizumab (Skyrizi)

• One of the newest treatments for IBD to hit the market.
• Risankizumab was the first ever IL-23A targeted therapy approved by the FDA for the treatment of patients with moderate-to-severe Crohn’s disease.
• Many in the industry believe the June approval could usher in a new era of IL-23 targeted therapies for patients with IBD.

Ustekinumab (Stelara)

• Ustekinumab has emerged as a top treatment targeting interleukin 12 and interleukin 23 in patients with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.
• In the US, the treatment is also approved for plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

Vedolizumab (Entyvio)

• This treatment has shown success treating patients with either Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.
• Vedolizumab is particularly effective treating patients who have a poor response to anti-TNF treatments or corticosteroids.