Ulcerative colitis not well-controlled in patients receiving conventional treatments

MSD (Merck Sharp & Dohme Limited) has today announced full study findings from a pan-European observational study that showed the majority of moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis (UC) patients who were treated with conventional therapies failed to achieve well-controlled disease status (87.2 per cent).¹ Additionally, nearly half of all patients in the study (46.8 per cent) were not satisfied with their current UC therapies, demonstrating an unmet treatment need among these patients.¹ The new findings from Ulcerative Colitis Condition, Attitude, Resources and Educational Study (UC CARES) were presented today at the 9th Congress of the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) in Copenhagen.¹

UC CARES was designed to assess the level of disease control and treatment satisfaction among UC patients receiving conventional treatment, but not previously treated with biologics.¹ Patients were enrolled from a total of 46 study sites from 11 European countries, including the United Kingdom. Conventional therapies, such as corticosteroids, aminosalicylates (5-ASA), and thiopurine immunomodulators (AZA and 6-MP), are commonly prescribed for moderate-to-severe UC; however, few studies have comprehensively evaluated their effectiveness in disease control in real-world clinical practice.¹

Dr Paul Robinson, Medical Director, MSD UK said: ‘The UC CARES study has provided us with real-life insights into patients’ needs, in terms of disease control and treatment satisfaction. Significantly, it highlights the importance of considering a step-up in therapy in the large number of patients who do not achieve full disease control with conventional treatments. If ulcerative colitis is not properly treated, then the inflammation and ulceration associated with the condition can lead to serious complications.’

In UC CARES, 63.2 percent of patients were treated with thiopurines, 75.2 percent with aminosalicylates, 23.6 percent were treated with corticosteroids, 8.8 percent with gastro-intestinal drugs and 3.6 percent of patients were treated with other types of immunosuppressants.

According to results from the UC CARES study, 87.2 percent of conventionally treated patients (n=250) did not achieve disease control, defined as maintaining remission status, measured by full or partial Mayo scores (scoring system used to assess UC activity) and no corticosteroid use in the past two months. Overall, 46.8 percent of patients (n=117) were not satisfied with their current UC treatment. ¹

Currently, NICE guidelines restrict use of biologic treatments to those acute UC patients who are at the severe end of the disease spectrum, with access not available for those in the moderate-to-severe category of the disease.

Reference

1. ECCO 2014. Poster Presentation.   Van Assche, G., et. al., Disease Control and Unmet Needs Among Moderate to Severe Ulcerative Colitis Patients Treated with Conventional Therapies in Europe: The UC Cares (Ulcerative Colitis Condition, Attitude, Resources and Educational Study) Study. 2014.