Johnson & Johnson's TREMFYA® (guselkumab) has received FDA approval for the treatment of adults suffering from moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC). This marks a significant advancement in the therapeutic landscape for UC, a chronic inflammatory condition affecting the large intestine.
TREMFYA® stands out as the first fully human, dual-acting monoclonal antibody approved for UC. It targets both IL-23, a cytokine linked to immune-mediated diseases, and the CD64 receptor on cells producing IL-23, offering a novel approach to managing this condition.
The approval is based on data from the Phase 2b/3 QUASAR study, which evaluated TREMFYA® in patients who had not responded adequately to conventional therapies, biologics, or JAK inhibitors. The results demonstrated that 50% of patients receiving a 200 mg dose every four weeks and 45% of those on a 100 mg dose every eight weeks achieved clinical remission by week 44, compared to only 19% in the placebo group. Endoscopic remission was also observed in a notable percentage of patients, indicating the drug's potential to promote visible healing of the colon.
Clinical Efficacy and Safety
Dr. David T. Rubin, Director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at the University of Chicago Medicine and a lead investigator in the QUASAR program, emphasized the clinical significance of these findings. "Treatment with TREMFYA resulted in significant improvement in the chronic symptoms of ulcerative colitis, and importantly, normalization in the endoscopic appearance of the intestinal lining," he stated.
TREMFYA® is administered intravenously at a 200 mg induction dose at weeks zero, four, and eight. Following the induction period, maintenance doses of either 100 mg every eight weeks or 200 mg every four weeks are administered. Patients can self-administer these maintenance doses after proper training.
Expanding Indications
This approval for ulcerative colitis adds to TREMFYA®'s existing indications, which include plaque psoriasis (approved in 2017) and psoriatic arthritis. Johnson & Johnson is also pursuing approval for TREMFYA® in the treatment of Crohn’s disease, further demonstrating its commitment to addressing chronic inflammatory diseases.
Unmet Needs in UC Treatment
Dr. Christopher Gasink, Vice President of Medical Affairs in Gastroenterology & Autoantibody at Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, highlighted the need for new UC therapies. "There is a significant need for new UC therapies that offer meaningful improvements in symptoms and the promise of remission, both overall clinical remission as well as delivering visible healing of the colon through endoscopic remission," he noted.
