Effectiveness and safety of risankizumab induction therapy for 100 patients with Crohn's disease: A GETAID multicentre cohort study

BACKGROUND

Phase III trials have demonstrated the efficacy of risankizumab in moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease (CD), but no real-world data are currently available. We aimed to assess the short-term effectiveness and safety of risankizumab in patients with CD.

METHODS

From May 2021 to May 2022, all patients with refractory luminal CD treated with risankizumab in 22 French GETAID centres were retrospectively included. The primary endpoint was steroid-free clinical remission at week 12 (Harvey-Bradshaw [HB] score <5). Secondary endpoints included clinical response (≥3-point decrease of HB score and/or (HB) score <5), biochemical remission (CRP ≤ 5 mg/L), need for CD-related surgery and adverse events.

RESULTS

Among the 100 patients included, all have been previously exposed to anti-TNF agents, 94 to vedolizumab, 98 to ustekinumab (all exposed to at least three biologics) and 61 had a previous intestinal resection. All but three (97%) received a 600 mg risankizumab intravenous induction at weeks 0-4-8. At week 12, steroid-free clinical remission was observed in 45.8% of patients, clinical remission in 58% and clinical response in 78.5%. In subgroup analysis restricted to patients with objective signs of inflammation at baseline (n = 79), steroid-free clinical remission at week 12 was observed in 39.2% of patients. Biochemical remission was observed in 50% of patients. Six patients discontinued risankizumab before the week 12 visit due to lack of efficacy. CD-related hospitalisation was needed in six patients, and three underwent intestinal resection. In multivariable analysis, only a history of ustekinumab loss of response (vs primary failure) (odds ratio (OR), 2.80; 95% CI: 1.07-7.82; p = 0.041) was significantly associated with clinical remission at week 12. Twenty adverse events (AE) occurred in 20 patients including 7 serious AE corresponding to 6 CD exacerbation and one severe hypertension.

CONCLUSION

In a cohort of highly refractory patients with luminal CD and multiple prior drug failures including ustekinumab, risankizumab induction provided a clinical response in about 3 out of 4 patients and steroid-free clinical remission in about half of patients.

Steroid-Free Deep Remission at One Year Does Not Prevent Crohn's Disease Progression: Long-Term Data From the TAILORIX Trial

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Crohn's disease (CD) patients included in the Tailored Treatment With Infliximab for Active Crohn's Disease (TAILORIX) trial started infliximab in combination with an immunosuppressant for 1 year. The aim of the present study was to determine the long-term disease course beyond the study period.

METHODS

We compared the outcomes of patients who did or did not reach the primary end point of the TAILORIX trial, defined as sustained corticosteroid-free clinical remission from weeks 22 through 54, with no ulcers on ileocolonoscopy at week 54. The primary outcome of this follow-up study was the progression-free survival of CD defined by anal or major abdominal surgery, CD-related hospitalization, or the need for a new systemic CD treatment.

RESULTS

The 95 patients (median disease duration, 4.5 mo; interquartile range, 1.0-56.6 mo) analyzed, including 45 (47%) who achieved the primary end point, were followed up for a median duration of 64.2 months (interquartile range, 57.6-69.9 mo) after the end of the study period. There was no significant difference in CD progression-free survival at 1, 3, and 5 years between patients who achieved the TAILORIX primary end point and patients who did not (P = .64). No difference was observed between both groups for each component of CD progression: anal surgery, major abdominal surgery, CD-related hospitalization, or the need for a new systemic CD treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Achieving a sustained clinical remission off steroids with complete endoscopic remission in this cohort of 95 patients with early CD was not associated with less disease progression. Prospective trials to define the therapeutic goals that change the natural history of CD and prevent complications are needed.

Adalimumab dose escalation is effective and well tolerated in Crohn's disease patients with secondary loss of response to adalimumab

BACKGROUND

Although adalimumab is effective in Crohn's disease, most patients experience a loss of response over time. The aim of the present study was to evaluate efficacy and safety of adalimumab dose escalation and identify predictors of a clinical response in Crohn's disease patients with a secondary loss of response.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective and observational study including all Crohn's disease patients who underwent dose escalation of adalimumab after a secondary loss of response from 2007 to 2015.

RESULTS

A clinical response was observed in 99/124 (79%) patients at 3 months and in 62/107 (61%) patients at 12 months. The predictive factors of response to ADA dose escalation at 12 months on multivariate analysis were: maintenance therapy of 40mg every week rather than 80mg every other week (OR 3.64, 95% CI: 1.28-10.37) and a CRP level≤5mg/L at adalimumab dose escalation (OR 6.64, 95% CI: 1.40-27.53). Adalimumab was withdrawn in 4 patients due to side effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Adalimumab dose escalation is an effective and well-tolerated therapeutic option in patients with secondary loss of response. A 40mg every week optimized regimen was predictive of a response to ADA dose escalation.