AbbVie's SKYRIZI® (risankizumab) Now Available on NHS Scotland for Ulcerative Colitis Treatment
In a significant development for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) in Scotland, the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has accepted AbbVie's SKYRIZI® (risankizumab) for use within NHS Scotland. This decision provides a new treatment option for adult patients suffering from moderately to severely active UC who have had an inadequate response to, lost response to, or were intolerant to conventional therapy or biologic therapy.
Understanding Ulcerative Colitis
UC is a chronic, idiopathic immune-mediated inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes continuous mucosal inflammation of the large intestine. It is characterized by symptoms such as rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, and an urgent need to defecate. The disease can significantly reduce a person’s quality of life and ability to work, with Scotland reporting the highest rates of IBD in the UK, affecting over 50,000 people.
Clinical Trials Supporting the Decision
The SMC's acceptance of risankizumab is backed by data from two pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials: the INSPIRE induction trial and the COMMAND maintenance trial. These studies demonstrated the drug's efficacy in achieving clinical remission, endoscopic improvement, and histologic-endoscopic mucosal improvement in patients with moderately to severely active UC. The safety profile of risankizumab was consistent with previous trials, with upper respiratory infections being the most frequently reported adverse reactions.
A New Hope for Patients
Professor Charlie Lees, Consultant Gastroenterologist at Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, emphasized the importance of having a variety of treatment options for UC, given the disease's variable response to medication among patients. The inclusion of risankizumab in NHS Scotland's treatment arsenal is a welcome development for those who have struggled with existing therapies.
Looking Forward
AbbVie's commitment to improving the lives of people with inflammatory bowel disease is evident in its pursuit of innovative treatments like risankizumab. The SMC's decision marks another milestone in the fight against UC, offering hope and improved quality of life for eligible patients in Scotland.
For more information on the INSPIRE and COMMAND trials, visit www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03398148 and NCT03398135).
