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Background: The comparative long-term survival of first-line biologics for UC and reasons for drug discontinuation are poorly understood. We sought to compare the long-term drug survival related to non-response (NR) and adverse effects (AEs) for vedolizumab, adalimumab, and infliximab among biologic-naïve patients with UC., Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of adult biologic-naïve patients with moderate-to-severe UC initiating vedolizumab, adalimumab, or infliximab 6/1/14-12/31/20 at a large academic medical center. The primary outcome was time to biologic discontinuation for primary or secondary NR (including colectomy). The secondary outcome was time to biologic discontinuation due to AEs. Inverse probability of treatment-weighted (IPTW) Cox regression was used to perform three pair-wise comparisons of drug survival., Results: The cohort included 805 patients with UC who initiated vedolizumab (n = 195), adalimumab (n = 278), or infliximab (n = 332). The adjusted hazard of biologic discontinuation for NR was significantly lower for vedolizumab vs adalimumab (HR 0.51, 95% CI 0.34-0.75), similar for vedolizumab vs infliximab (HR 1.32, 95% CI 0.79-2.18), and greater for adalimumab vs infliximab (HR 2.07, 95% CI 1.51-2.86). The adjusted hazard of discontinuation for AEs was significantly lower for vedolizumab vs adalimumab (HR 0.25, 95% CI 0.09-0.64), lower for vedolizumab vs infliximab (HR 0.21, 95% CI 0.10-0.46), and similar for adalimumab vs infliximab (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.53-1.35)., Conclusions: There was greater survival of vedolizumab compared to adalimumab for clinical response and greater survival of vedolizumab compared to both adalimumab and infliximab for AEs. These long-term data support the use of vedolizumab as a first-line biologic over adalimumab for biologic-naïve patients with UC., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Tofacitinib is an oral, small molecule JAK inhibitor for the treatment of UC. We aimed to describe the real-world treatment experience and corticosteroid utilisation of patients treated with tofacitinib in a US claims database., Methods: Patients with a UC diagnosis who initiated tofacitinib, vedolizumab or tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) treatment between May 2018 and July 2019 were identified from the Optum Research Database. Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients who initiated tofacitinib, vedolizumab or TNFi were described. Oral corticosteroid use prior to and following tofacitinib initiation was evaluated. Tofacitinib adherence (proportion of days covered) and continuation was assessed for 6 months following initiation. Analyses were descriptive and stratified by prior biologic use (naïve, 1 or ≥ 2; minimum of 12 months prior to tofacitinib initiation)., Results: Among patients initiating tofacitinib (N = 225), mean age was 45.6 (SD 16.5) years and 50.2% were female. Of these, 43 (19.1%) patients were biologic-naïve and 182 (80.9%) had prior biologic use (92 [40.9%], 1 prior biologic; 90 [40.0%], ≥ 2 prior biologics). Among patients with 1 prior biologic, 82.6% were previously treated with a TNFi. Among patients with ≥ 2 prior biologics, 54.4% were previously treated with vedolizumab and a TNFi, 16.7% with two TNFi and 28.9% with ≥ 3 prior biologics. In the 6 months prior to tofacitinib initiation, 65.8% of patients had received oral corticosteroids (74.4%, 60.9% and 66.7% for biologic-naïve, 1 and ≥ 2 prior biologics, respectively). The proportion of patients with ongoing oral corticosteroid use 3-6 months after tofacitinib initiation decreased to 13.3% (9.3%, 18.5% and 10.0% for biologic-naïve, 1 and ≥ 2 prior biologics, respectively), and 19.6% of patients discontinued oral corticosteroid use during the 6 months after tofacitinib initiation. Overall, tofacitinib adherence, as determined by the mean proportion of days covered during the 6-month follow-up, was 0.7 (median 0.8). During the 6-month follow-up, 84.9% of patients continued tofacitinib., Conclusions: Among patients with UC initiating tofacitinib, the majority had prior biologic use. Tofacitinib adherence was high, discontinuation was low and oral corticosteroid utilisation decreased irrespective of prior biologic use. Further research with longer follow-up and a larger sample size is required., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: The effect of immunosuppressive treatment for immune-mediated diseases on risk of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has not been established. We aimed to define the effect of targeted biologic and immunomodulator therapy on risk of COVID-19 in a multi-institutional cohort of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)., Methods: We identified patients 18 years and older who received care for IBD at Partners Healthcare between January 2019 and April 2020. The primary outcome was development of COVID-19 defined as a positive polymerase chain reaction test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Multivariable regression models were used to examine the effect of immunosuppression on risk of COVID-19 and its outcomes., Results: In a cohort of 5302 IBD patients, 39 (0.7%) developed COVID-19. There was no difference in age, sex, or race between IBD patients with and without COVID-19. The rate of COVID-19 was similar between patients treated with immunosuppression (0.8%) compared with those who were not (0.64%; P = 0.55). After adjusting for age, sex, race, and comorbidities, use of immunosuppressive therapy was not associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 (odds ratio, 1.73; 95% confidence interval, 0.82-3.63). The presence of obesity was associated with a higher risk of COVID-19 (odds ratio, 8.29; 95% confidence interval, 3.72-18.47). There were 7 hospitalizations, 3 intensive care unit stays, and 1 death. Older age and obesity but not immunosuppressive treatment were associated with severe COVID-19 infection., Conclusions: The use of systemic immunosuppression was not associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 in a multi-institutional cohort of patients with IBD., (© 2020 Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)