NICE has announced that it has recommended two treatments (infliximab and adalimumab) for people with severe Crohn’s disease.
The guidance approves use of the drugs for people who have not responded to, who are intolerant of, or are unable to take more commonly used therapies to treat the condition.
Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory condition of unknown cause affecting the gastrointestinal tract (gut). It is estimated that around 60,000 people in the UK have the disease, with approximately 3,000 (5%) having the most severe forms of the condition.
The guidance from NICE recommends infliximab and adalimumab as treatment options for adults with a severe, active form of the disease. Treatment should normally be started with the less expensive drug (taking into account drug administration costs, required dose and product price per dose). Infliximab is also recommended for adults with active, fistulising Crohn’s disease, and for children and young people aged 6-17 years old with severe, active Crohn’s disease
