At DDW 2025, researchers unveiled a blood-based risk score that can predict the onset of Crohn’s disease (CD) up to two years in advance—offering a glimpse into a future where IBD is prevented, not just treated.
Developed using data from U.S. military serum banks, the predictive model uses a combination of 10 biomarkers, achieving a high accuracy with an AUC of 0.87, 99% specificity, and 84% positive predictive value. Those in the highest risk quartile were 10 times more likely to develop CD within two years than others.
The potential? A shift from reactive treatment to proactive intervention—including close monitoring, lifestyle changes, or even preventive therapy, years before symptoms appear.
As validation trials expand and new studies like PIONIR and INTERCEPT move forward, this breakthrough could reshape how we think about disease onset in IBD.