The treatment of IBD has evolved significantly since the widespread introduction of biopharmaceuticals such as the TNF-α inhibitors infliximab and adalimumab. While the majority of patients have an initial clinical response to these therapeutics, many show drug unresponsiveness or secondary loss of response (LOR), often because of the development of anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) that lower the drug trough levels in the bloodstream. 

Drug responsiveness is affected by numerous complex and interlinked factors, and theindividuality of patient responses makes it extremely difficult to predict which medication and dosage will be the most effective, or whether a patient is likely experience LOR at some point in the future. 

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of trough levels and ADAs is a useful tool for assessing treatment efficacy and patient response, and helps to inform doctors whether they need to change drugs or alter dosages for optimal outcomes. It is commonly performed reactively when a lack of clinical improvement or loss of disease control is observed.

However, preliminary data suggests that proactive TDM might be associated with better therapeutic outcomes than empirical dose optimisation and reactive TDM, as it allows doctors to change the dosage or therapeutic sooner, potentially helping to prevent future LOR. Pioneering groups across the country have now shifted their practice towards proactive TDM to gain insights into possible drug unresponsiveness before the appearance of symptoms.

This informative webinar, hosted by BIOHIT, will feature presentations from Professor Jimmy Limdi, Consultant Gastroenterologist and Head of Section for IBD at the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, and Dr Christian Selinger, Consultant Gastroenterologist at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

Professor Limdi and Dr Selinger will outline their unique TDM approaches and discuss how these practices help their teams to combat IBD. In the following Q&A, attendees will have the opportunity to ask the experts about the benefits and limitations of both proactive and reactive TDM methods using specific case studies from their own clinical experiences.  

The event is free to attend, and will be of particular interest to gastroenterologists, clinical scientists, pharmacists, general practitioners and health professionals with an interest in gastroenterology.

Register here