Despite a multitude of currently available treatment options in IBD, many patients fail to respond to therapies or lose response over time, which can lead to a “start and stop” cycle through different therapies in search of sustained control.2 In patients who fail to respond or lose response to therapy, ongoing chronic inflammation can drive disease progression and increase the risk of colorectal cancer.3,6
Additionally, scar tissue buildup (fibrosis) is a long-term effect of IBD, commonly impacting patients with CD and in CD, intestinal complications like fistulae and abscesses may also occur and can require hospitalization and surgery.3,6 In fact, more than 30% of patients with CD will develop health complications from this scarring, including narrowing of the intestine (strictures), that can result in further severity of disease and additional inflammation.7 Fibrotic complications also occur in UC, leading to a range of intestinal symptoms like rectal urgency and incontinence, loose stools, diarrhea, and constipation.
Addressing this “start and stop” cycle and inducing sustained healing drives our commitment to GI research – aimed to better understand the pervasive burden of IBD and explore new ways to address inflammation underlying the spectrum of GI diseases.
In his experience treating patients with GI disorders, Phillip Levine, MD, Head of Gastroenterology Clinical Development, Immunology at Sanofi, sees this impact first-hand.