New Crohn's Drug Approved

A new drug has been approved to treat adults with moderate to severe Crohn's disease. Research has shown that Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) was effective in decreasing the symptoms of Crohn's disease. Of the patients who received Cimzia in one study, 47.9 percent were in clinical remission after 26 weeks. Cimzia is given by injection every four weeks and is expected to be used for patients with Crohn's for whom other drugs have not been effective.

Two clinical trials published in the New England Journal of Medicine examined Cimzia for the treatment of Crohn's disease. The first (PRECISE 1) showed that the drug can improve symptoms in the short and intermediate-term but cannot provide significant benefits, such as remission. The second trial (PRECISE 2) showed that maintenance therapy prevents relapse in those patients who have a good response to initial treatment.

Side effects associated with Cimzia include headache, upper respiratory infections, abdominal pain, and nausea. Patients who take Cimzia are also at risk for reactions at the injection site and serious adverse events, including infections.

Source:
"Cimzia® Approved in the US for the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Crohn's Disease." UCB 22 Apr 2008.