Ulcerative colitis guidance will reshape market access and competition, says analyst

The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) has recently released a major update to its clinical guideline for the pharmacological management of moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis (UC).

The new “living” guideline strongly recommends the early use of biologics and small-molecule therapies following 5-ASA failure, a significant departure from the traditional step-up approach. It marks a turning point in UC treatment strategy, with major implications for market access, prescribing behavior, and therapeutic competition, says  pharma analytics company GlobalData.

As the first “living” guideline for UC, the AGA will update recommendations semiannually, allowing rapid integration of new evidence and emerging therapies. For pharmaceutical companies, this creates both opportunity and urgency: drugs that demonstrate clear clinical benefit could gain swift recognition, while those without competitive differentiation may be deprioritized in treatment algorithms.