Cimzia of benefit in CD regardless of prior infliximab use

Belgian drugmaker UCB says that a new post hoc analysis of the PRECiSE trial, which examined its drug Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) as a treatment for Crohn's disease, demonstrated that the agent maintained response and remission in patients irrespective of prior treatment with any infliximab-based therapy. The findings were presented at the 14 United European Gastroenterology Week meeting, held in Berlin, Germany.

The company added that the findings bolster the results announced last month, which showed that subcutaneous monthly administration of the agent in patients who had responded at six weeks, brought about statistically-significant benefits at 26-weeks, in comparison with placebo (Marketletter October 16).

UCB added that the PRECiSE program, which consists of four separate studies, had involved over 1,300 patients around the world, many of whom were participating in long-term safety and efficacy assessments.