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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Upadacitinib is emerging as the top performer for refractory ulcerative colitis. A real-world Portuguese study of 312 patients found it outperformed both tofacitinib and ustekinumab on steroid-free remission, biochemical remission, and endoscopic remission at 16 and 52 weeks — and a separate post-hoc analysis of 11 trials confirmed it also delivers the fastest symptom relief among biologic-naive UC patients.
Two new studies are cementing upadacitinib's status as a standout option for moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis (UC). A real-world multicenter study across nine Portuguese hospitals compared upadacitinib, tofacitinib, and ustekinumab in 312 adults with refractory UC who had failed at least one prior advanced therapy. Upadacitinib came out on top across the board — on steroid-free remission, biochemical remission, and endoscopic remission at both 16 and 52 weeks.
A separate post-hoc analysis of 11 randomized trials in 3,573 biologic-naive UC patients found that upadacitinib and infliximab were the "clear frontrunners" for rapid symptom relief, with upadacitinib achieving a 65% patient-reported response rate by just week 2 — nearly double infliximab's 36.5%. Safety profiles were comparable across all agents in both studies, with no meaningful differences in serious adverse events.
By the Numbers
Why it matters: These findings give clinicians real-world and trial-level evidence to guide treatment sequencing in UC — particularly for patients with high symptom burden or those at risk of hospitalization, where speed and depth of response matter most.
