Jan Wehkamp, MD, PhD: Expanding the Studies of Ustekinumab for IBD

There is a lot of value in real-world data compared to clinical trials, especially for the long-term data of a drug like ustekinumab (STELARA), a treatment indicated for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

In an interview with HCPLive®, Jan Wehkamp, MD, PhD, Vice President, Gastroenterology Disease Area Leader, Janssen Research & Development, said there are plans for real-world data on the treatment

“We will continue to generate this data, so that is something we can commit to,” Wehkamp said.

New data presented during the 18th Congress of the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organization (ECCO), taking place in Copenhagen, the continued long-term safety and efficacy of ustekinumab as a treatment for patients with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease.

The results, from the UNIFI long-term extension study of pooled data from 2575 patients treated with ustekinumab, confirm the positive safety profile of the treatment for patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis for up to 4 years and patients with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease for up to 5 years.

The results show 58% (n = 119) of patients were in clinical remission, 80% (n = 164) were in clinical response, 79.5% (n = 163) of patients were in modified Mayo score response, and 67% (n = 138) of patients showed endoscopic improvement.

Wehkamp also said interleukin 23 (IL-23) could be a viable option in drug development in the future, but it does not necessarily mean it will be the only options moving forward.

“It’s important based on everything we know that IL-23 inhibitors are not all the same,” Wehkamp said. “They have a different molecular profiles.”