Long-term efficacy and survival of ustekinumab therapy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

The article reviews data on the long-term effectiveness and survival of biological therapies for treating inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. It highlights the shift in treatment goals, emphasizing not only induction and maintenance of remission but also long-term outcomes. The choice of therapy is becoming increasingly complex, as it must consider both clinical efficacy and endoscopic remission, which, serves as a predictor of long-term treatment effectiveness. Special attention is given to ustekinumab – antibodies targeting interleukins 12 and 23. This drug has shown high long-term effectiveness and safety in treating ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Studies indicate that ustekinumab effectively maintains clinical remission in patients, providing stable results and a low rate of serious adverse events. Long-term data also highlight its advantages over other biological agents, such as infliximab and adalimumab, in terms of therapy sustainability. The article includes data from clinical trials of ustekinumab extending up to 5 years, demonstrating good treatment sustainability, as well as various real-world practice studies confirming the prolonged effectiveness of ustekinumab in patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. The article evaluates and analyzes these data on long-term effectiveness and drug survival and also emphasizes the importance of an individualized approach in selecting therapy, taking into account prior treatment experience and inflammation activity.