Ustekinumab for treating ulcerative colitis: an expert opinion.

Expert opinion on biological therapy 2020 Nov

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Biologic agents have revolutionized the therapeutic management of ulcerative colitis. Anti-tumor necrosis factor agents were the first biologic drugs used to induce and maintain remission in this inflammatory bowel disease. Recently, another biologic option, ustekinumab, has become available for the treatment of moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis. In this article, the authors review the literature on the efficacy and safety of ustekinumab in the context of current biologic agents used for the management of this disease. The potential role of ustekinumab in the treatment paradigm of the disease is also discussed. Expert opinion: The UNIFI trial has demonstrated the efficacy and safety of ustekinumab in induction and maintenance phases of treatment for ulcerative colitis. Ustekinumab may provide clinical benefit in a range of settings in patients with ulcerative colitis, even for those with multiple treatment failures, which are relatively common in daily clinical practice. Future clinical trials should compare the efficacy of ustekinumab with existing biologic agents in the management of ulcerative colitis.

Citation

Livia Biancone, Sandro Ardizzone, Alessandro Armuzzi, Fabiana Castiglione, Renata D'Incà, Silvio Danese, Marco Daperno, Paolo Gionchetti, Fernando Rizzello, Maria Lia Scribano, Maurizio Vecchi, Ambrogio Orlando. Ustekinumab for treating ulcerative colitis: an expert opinion. Expert opinion on biological therapy. 2020 Nov;20(11):1321-1329