Crohn Disease: Enns R

Panaccione R, Fedorak RN, Aumais G, Bernstein CN, Bitton A, Croitoru K, Enns R, Feagan B, Fishman M, Greenberg G, Griffiths A, Marshall JK, Rasul I, Sadowski D, Seidman E, Steinhart H, Sutherland L, Walli E, Wild G, Williams CN, Zachos M, Anonymous00234. · University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada. · Can J Gastroenterol. · Pubmed #15372114 links to  free full text

This publication has no abstract.

Feagan BG, Enns R, Fedorak RN, Panaccione R, Paré P, Steinhart AH, Wild G. · London Clinical Trials Research Group, London, Canada. · Can J Clin Pharmacol. · Pubmed #11743591 No free full text.

Abstract: Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. From the perspective of the patient, symptoms of the disease significantly impair quality of life and interfere with activities of daily living. Conventional medical treatment of Crohn's disease includes the use of nonspecific anti-inflammatory drugs, immunosuppressives and antibiotics. These therapies are characterized by a delayed onset of action, incomplete response rates and a substantial risk of adverse effects. Although surgery is frequently used to treat complications, postoperative recurrence is an important problem. Infliximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody directed toward tumour necrosis factor alpha, is highly effective for the treatment of active Crohn's disease. In randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials, 82% of patients who received 5 mg/kg of infliximab had a clinically significant response, compared with 17% of those given placebo (P<0.001). Moreover, infliximab is the only medical therapy that has been shown to be effective for the treatment of fistulizing Crohn's disease. Infusion reactions are the most common adverse effect. Whether treatment with infliximab is associated with an increased risk of neoplasia, infection or autoimmune disease is unknown. Therefore, further long term safety studies are required. Despite the relatively high cost of drug acquisition, preliminary pharmacoeconomic analysis indicates that infliximab is cost effective compared with existing treatments. Infliximab is recommended for the treatment of active Crohn's disease refractory to conventional drugs, and is the treatment of choice for fistulizing Crohn's disease.

Colombel JF, Schwartz DA, Sandborn WJ, Kamm MA, D'Haens G, Rutgeerts P, Enns R, Panaccione R, Schreiber S, Li J, Kent JD, Lomax KG, Pollack PF. · Hôpital Claude Huriez, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Lille, Rue Michel Polonovski, Lille, France. · Gut. · Pubmed #19201775 links to  free full text

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of adalimumab in the healing of draining fistulas in patients with active Crohn's disease (CD). DESIGN: A phase III, multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled study with an open-label extension was conducted in 92 sites. PATIENTS: A subgroup of adults with moderate to severely active CD (CD activity index 220-450) for >or=4 months who had draining fistulas at baseline. INTERVENTIONS: All patients received initial open-label adalimumab induction therapy (80 mg/40 mg at weeks 0/2). At week 4, all patients were randomly assigned to receive double-blind placebo or adalimumab 40 mg every other week or weekly to week 56 (irrespective of fistula status). Patients completing week 56 of therapy were then eligible to enroll in an open-label extension. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Complete fistula healing/closure (assessed at every visit) was defined as no drainage, either spontaneous or with gentle compression. RESULTS: Of 854 patients enrolled, 117 had draining fistulas at both screening and baseline (70 randomly assigned to adalimumab and 47 to placebo). The mean number of draining fistulas per day was significantly decreased in adalimumab-treated patients compared with placebo-treated patients during the double-blind treatment period. Of all patients with healed fistulas at week 56 (both adalimumab and placebo groups), 90% (28/31) maintained healing following 1 year of open-label adalimumab therapy (observed analysis). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with active CD, adalimumab therapy was more effective than placebo for inducing fistula healing. Complete fistula healing was sustained for up to 2 years by most patients in an open-label extension trial.

Colombel JF, Sandborn WJ, Rutgeerts P, Enns R, Hanauer SB, Panaccione R, Schreiber S, Byczkowski D, Li J, Kent JD, Pollack PF. · Department of Hepatogastroenterology, Hôpital Claude Huriez, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Lille, Rue Michel Polonovski, 59037 Lille, France. · Gastroenterology. · Pubmed #17241859 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND & AIMS: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of adalimumab, a fully human, anti-tumor necrosis factor monoclonal antibody administered subcutaneously, in the maintenance of response and remission in patients with moderate to severe Crohn's disease (CD). METHODS: Patients received open-label induction therapy with adalimumab 80 mg (week 0) followed by 40 mg (week 2). At week 4, patients were stratified by response (decrease in Crohn's Disease Activity Index > or =70 points from baseline) and randomized to double-blind treatment with placebo, adalimumab 40 mg every other week (eow), or adalimumab 40 mg weekly through week 56. Co-primary end points were the percentages of randomized responders who achieved clinical remission (Crohn's Disease Activity Index score <150) at weeks 26 and 56. RESULTS: The percentage of randomized responders in remission was significantly greater in the adalimumab 40-mg eow and 40-mg weekly groups versus placebo at week 26 (40%, 47%, and 17%, respectively; P < .001) and week 56 (36%, 41%, and 12%, respectively; P < .001). No significant differences in efficacy between adalimumab eow and weekly were observed. More patients receiving placebo discontinued treatment because of an adverse event (13.4%) than those receiving adalimumab (6.9% and 4.7% in the 40-mg eow and 40-mg weekly groups, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients who responded to adalimumab, both adalimumab eow and weekly were significantly more effective than placebo in maintaining remission in moderate to severe CD through 56 weeks. Adalimumab was well-tolerated, with a safety profile consistent with previous experience with the drug.

Sandborn WJ, Colombel JF, Enns R, Feagan BG, Hanauer SB, Lawrance IC, Panaccione R, Sanders M, Schreiber S, Targan S, van Deventer S, Goldblum R, Despain D, Hogge GS, Rutgeerts P, Anonymous00125, Anonymous00126. · Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn 55905, USA. · N Engl J Med. · Pubmed #16267322 links to  free full text

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Natalizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody against alpha4 integrin, inhibits leukocyte adhesion and migration into inflamed tissue. METHODS: We conducted two controlled trials to evaluate natalizumab as induction and maintenance therapy in patients with active Crohn's disease. In the first trial, 905 patients were randomly assigned to receive 300 mg of natalizumab or placebo at weeks 0, 4, and 8. The primary outcome was response, defined by a decrease in the Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI) score of at least 70 points, at week 10. In the second trial, 339 patients who had a response to natalizumab in the first trial were randomly reassigned to receive 300 mg of natalizumab or placebo every four weeks through week 56. The primary outcome was a sustained response through week 36. A secondary outcome in both trials was disease remission (a CDAI score of less than 150). RESULTS: In the first trial, the natalizumab and placebo groups had similar rates of response (56 percent and 49 percent, respectively; P=0.05) and remission (37 percent and 30 percent, respectively; P=0.12) at 10 weeks. Continuing natalizumab in the second trial resulted in higher rates of sustained response (61 percent vs. 28 percent, P<0.001) and remission (44 percent vs. 26 percent, P=0.003) through week 36 than did switching to placebo. Serious adverse events occurred in 7 percent of each group in the first trial and in 10 percent of the placebo group and 8 percent of the natalizumab group in the second trial. In an open-label extension study, a patient treated with natalizumab died from progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, associated with the JC virus, a human polyomavirus. CONCLUSIONS: Induction therapy with natalizumab for Crohn's disease resulted in small, nonsignificant improvements in response and remission rates. Patients who had a response had significantly increased rates of sustained response and remission if natalizumab was continued every four weeks. The benefit of natalizumab will need to be weighed against the risk of serious adverse events, including progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. (ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT00032786 and NCT00032799.)

Sandborn WJ, Feagan BG, Radford-Smith G, Kovacs A, Enns R, Innes A, Patel J. · Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. · Gut. · Pubmed #15361500 links to  free full text

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Targeting tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) has demonstrated efficacy in Crohn's disease. AIM: To evaluate CDP571, a humanised antibody to TNF-alpha, for treating active Crohn's disease. PATIENTS: A total of 396 patients with moderate to severe Crohn's disease. METHODS: In a 28 week, randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial, patients received intravenous CDP571 (10 mg/kg) or placebo every eight weeks to week 24. The primary outcome measure was clinical response (a decrease in the Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI) to > or =100 points or remission (CDAI score < or =150 points)) at week 28. A secondary outcome measure was clinical response (using the same definition) at week 2. RESULTS: Clinical response occurred at week 28 in 80/263 (30.4%) CDP571 patients and 31/132 (23.5%) placebo patients (p = 0.102). Clinical response at week 2 occurred in 90/263 (34.2%) CDP571 patients and 28/132 (21.2%) placebo patients (p = 0.011). Post hoc exploratory subgroup analysis of 159 patients with baseline C reactive protein (CRP) > or =10 mg/l demonstrated significant differences between CDP571 and placebo in clinical response rates at weeks 2 (CDP571, 50/101 (49.5%); placebo, 9/58 (15.5%); p<0.001) and 28 (CDP571, 29/101 (28.7%); placebo, 7/58 (12.1%); p = 0.018). Adverse events occurred at similar frequencies in both treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: CDP571 is modestly effective for short but not long term treatment of unselected patients with moderate to severe Crohn's disease. The clinical relevance of this short term effect is unclear. Post hoc analysis suggests both short and long term efficacy of CDP571 in patients with elevated baseline CRP (> or =10 mg/l). CDP571 is well tolerated.

Cohen RD, Bowie WR, Enns R, Flint J, Fitzgerald JM. · Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. · Thorax. · Pubmed #17965080 No free full text.

Abstract: The use of anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) agents has expanded significantly over the past few years, particularly for rheumatological diseases and Crohn's disease. A number of associated opportunistic infections have been observed as a result of suppression of T cell-mediated immunity, the most frequent being tuberculosis. We report the first case of pulmonary actinomycosis in a patient receiving regular infusions of infliximab, an anti-TNF agent, for Crohn's disease.

Sandborn WJ, Rutgeerts P, Enns R, Hanauer SB, Colombel JF, Panaccione R, D'Haens G, Li J, Rosenfeld MR, Kent JD, Pollack PF. · Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA. · Ann Intern Med. · Pubmed #17470824 links to  free full text

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Adalimumab, a fully human tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonist, is an effective treatment for patients with Crohn disease who are naive to the chimeric TNF antagonist, infliximab. No anti-TNF agent has been evaluated prospectively in patients with Crohn disease who had responded to another anti-TNF agent and then lost that response or were intolerant of the agent. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether adalimumab induces remissions more frequently than placebo in adult patients with Crohn disease who have symptoms despite infliximab therapy or who cannot take infliximab because of adverse events. DESIGN: 4-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (November 2004 to December 2005). SETTING: 52 sites in the United States, Canada, and Europe. PATIENTS: 325 adults 18 to 75 years of age who had a history of Crohn disease for 4 months or more that was moderate to severe at baseline (Crohn's Disease Activity Index [CDAI] score, 220 to 450 points). INTERVENTION: Patients were randomly assigned to receive induction doses of adalimumab, 160 mg and 80 mg, at weeks 0 and 2, respectively, or placebo at the same time points. MEASUREMENTS: The primary end point was induction of remission at week 4. Decreases in CDAI score by 70 or more and 100 or more points (secondary end points) were also measured. RESULTS: A total of 301 patients completed the trial. Twenty-one percent (34 of 159) of patients in the adalimumab group versus 7% (12 of 166) of those in the placebo group achieved remission at week 4 (P < 0.001). The absolute difference in clinical remission rates was 14.2 percentage points (95% CI, 6.7 to 21.6 percentage points). A 70-point response occurred at week 4 in 52% (82 of 159) of patients in the adalimumab group versus 34% (56 of 166) of patients in the placebo group (P = 0.001). The absolute difference in 70-point response rates was 17.8 percentage points (CI, 7.3 to 28.4 percentage points). Two of 159 patients in the adalimumab group and 4 of 166 patients in the placebo group discontinued treatment because of adverse events. No patients in the adalimumab group and 4 of 166 patients in the placebo group had a serious infection. LIMITATIONS: The trial did not directly compare alternative active treatments and did not evaluate maintenance of response or long-term immunogenicity of adalimumab. CONCLUSION: Adalimumab induces remissions more frequently than placebo in adult patients with Crohn disease who cannot tolerate infliximab or have symptoms despite receiving infliximab therapy. For more information on adalimumab in Crohn disease, click here. ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT00105300.