An oral interleukin-23 receptor blocker beat placebo for clinical response in ulcerative colitis in a phase 2b trial

The edition in brief

In the phase 2b ANTHEM-UC trial, 252 adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis received oral icotrokinra 400, 200 or 100 mg daily or placebo. Clinical response at week 12 was 63%, 58% and 55% against 27% with placebo (P < 0.001 for each). Clinical remission was 30% vs 11% at 400 mg (P = 0.006) and 24% at 200 mg (P = 0.054, not formally tested further); serious adverse events were 2%, 5%, 0% and 10% through week 28. The phase IIIb single-arm SIERRA study gave durvalumab plus tremelimumab to 111 patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma who would be excluded from many trials (Child-Pugh B7 or B8, performance status 2, or main trunk portal vein thrombosis): grade 3 or 4 treatment-related events within six months occurred in 19.8% and the objective response rate was 14.4%. In 226 children with cirrhosis listed for liver transplant, left ventricular mass index was higher than in 160 children without cirrhosis, about 25% had hypertrophy, and values of 88 to 95 g per m2.7 or more were associated with decompensation, serious post-transplant events and death. The FDA lists a supplement action for adalimumab-aqvh dated 25 September 2026 without stating the change.