Ulcerative Colitis: New Medications, New Hope for Remission

After a 15-year hiatus, one patient was happy to go hiking again. Another said, “I always kept track of where the bathrooms were on my trip to college. Now I don’t have to.” Another no longer has to wear a diaper when performing on stage. 

All three have ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory disease of the large intestine (colon), and are on new medications called IL-23 inhibitors. Perhaps better known to those who pay attention to television commercials as Omvoh, Skyrizi, and Tremfya, the medications work by blocking interleukin 23 (IL-23), an immune system protein that helps protect the body but in excess can lead to inflammation and ulcerative colitis.

The medications reduce the symptoms of diarrhea, constipation, and stomach cramping, with a goal of becoming symptom-free, or in remission.
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