An AI-based endoscopic scoring system developed by Johnson & Johnson may significantly improve efficiency in ulcerative colitis clinical trials by detecting treatment effects more sensitively than traditional scoring methods.
Presented at Digestive Disease Week 2026, the ARGES-UC platform uses continuous AI-generated scoring from endoscopy videos rather than conventional category-based Mayo scores. In a phase 2b UC trial, the system demonstrated larger treatment effect sizes and reduced estimated trial sample size requirements by up to 47%, potentially enabling smaller, faster, and less costly studies. Researchers emphasized that the technology is currently aimed at improving clinical trial design rather than replacing standard clinical assessments in routine practice.