Oral Peptide Shows Durable Efficacy in Ulcerative Colitis

An oral peptide called icotrokinra has shown durable long-term effectiveness in treating moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis, according to findings from the phase IIb ANTHEM-UC trial. At the American College of Gastroenterology annual meeting, Dr. Maria Abreu of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center discussed the results. After 76 weeks, the majority of patients continuing icotrokinra treatment were in clinical response, clinical remission, or endoscopic improvement.

The trial demonstrated that icotrokinra was as effective as existing treatments, with clinical response rates of 72.7% at 400 mg, 59.1% at 200 mg, and 56.3% at 100 mg, compared to 27% in the placebo group. Additionally, over 50% of patients achieved clinical remission, and symptomatic remission was observed as early as week 4, persisting through week 76.

The oral drug's safety and ability to generate early and durable responses make it a promising first-line advanced therapy option for patients with ulcerative colitis, potentially replacing parenterally administered biologics.