Therapeutic strategies employing a combination of advanced therapies, specifically dual biologics or biologic–small molecule combinations, are starting to reveal promising outcomes in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.
At the 2023 annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology, Christopher Ma, MD, MPH, FRCPC, an associate professor of gastroenterology and hepatology at the University of Calgary, in Alberta, highlighted several studies that have demonstrated superior results with a combination treatment approach, particularly in patients who have refractory IBD or high-risk phenotypes. However, Dr. Ma also underscored the need for more data to determine safety and efficacy conclusively.
“It’s evident from recent findings that a shift toward using combination therapies is the future for IBD treatment,” Dr. Ma said. “However, more studies are imperative to ascertain the specifics of these approaches, their long-term efficacy, their risks and, most importantly, which specific patient populations will benefit the most from them.”
As Dr. Ma explained, IBD’s wide array of presentation and severity can make it more complex to select the right treatment options for each patient. Previous single-agent therapies have been inadequate, Dr. Ma said, with most patients still not achieving endoscopic remission or improved quality of life.