Vedolizumab for Crohn’s?

This press release shows that in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind test (usually known as the gold standard) in clinical trials with 1,115 patients showed that those who failed conventional therapy showed signs of improvement that were statistically significant (which means not due to simply chance alone). Some adverse effects were reported such as joint pain, fever, upper respiratory inflammation, and some other side effects.  Apparently more information will be provided at a medical congress.

The results with vedolizumab have been good for ulcerative colitis. A comment in the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Journal calls into question how effective vedeolizumab really works however it was published in March of 2010 which was before this new study was completed.

I hope the maker of the drug Takeda does prove that the drug is both safe and effective. As I have mentioned before I am all for innovation as long as there is science to back it up. Welcoming a new biologic will create more competition in the treatment of Crohn’s and give patients another option which is always preferred to fewer options.