New Drug for Crohn's Disease Shows Early Promise
New Drug for Crohn's Disease Shows Early Promise
But findings are preliminary, experts point out
But the existing medications don't work for everyone, Cross explained. And with biologics, he said, some people who do well at first eventually develop antibodies against the drugs.
The medications can also have side effects. Those include infections and other immune-related diseases, such as the skin condition psoriasis, said Dr. Giovanni Monteleone, the lead researcher on the new study and a gastroenterologist at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, in Italy.
The "advantage" with mongersen is that it's taken orally, which allows "maximal release" of the active compound to inflamed sites in the digestive tract, Monteleone said. The drug works by restoring the natural activity of an anti-inflammatory protein called TGF-beta, he explained.
For the current study, Monteleone's team randomly assigned 166 Crohn's patients to one of four groups: three that received different daily doses of mongersen for two weeks; and one that was given placebo (inactive) pills for comparison.
By the end of treatment, two-thirds of patients on the highest drug dose had gone into remission. The same was true for 55 percent of those on the next-highest dose.
As for adverse events, the researchers reported, most were related to the disease itself -- including worsening symptoms among patients on the lowest drug dose.
According to Cross, it's possible that with mongersen's mode of action, the drug could avoid the side effects of existing Crohn's drugs -- but that's unproven for now.
Monteleone said further studies are needed to figure out the optimal drug dose, and see how well it works in the longer term.
Cross agreed. "These findings are exciting, but they're preliminary," he said.
New Drug for Crohn's Disease Shows Early Promise
But findings are preliminary, experts point out
But the existing medications don't work for everyone, Cross explained. And with biologics, he said, some people who do well at first eventually develop antibodies against the drugs.
The medications can also have side effects. Those include infections and other immune-related diseases, such as the skin condition psoriasis, said Dr. Giovanni Monteleone, the lead researcher on the new study and a gastroenterologist at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, in Italy.
The "advantage" with mongersen is that it's taken orally, which allows "maximal release" of the active compound to inflamed sites in the digestive tract, Monteleone said. The drug works by restoring the natural activity of an anti-inflammatory protein called TGF-beta, he explained.
For the current study, Monteleone's team randomly assigned 166 Crohn's patients to one of four groups: three that received different daily doses of mongersen for two weeks; and one that was given placebo (inactive) pills for comparison.
By the end of treatment, two-thirds of patients on the highest drug dose had gone into remission. The same was true for 55 percent of those on the next-highest dose.
As for adverse events, the researchers reported, most were related to the disease itself -- including worsening symptoms among patients on the lowest drug dose.
According to Cross, it's possible that with mongersen's mode of action, the drug could avoid the side effects of existing Crohn's drugs -- but that's unproven for now.
Monteleone said further studies are needed to figure out the optimal drug dose, and see how well it works in the longer term.
Cross agreed. "These findings are exciting, but they're preliminary," he said.
