A phase 3 trial finds obefazimod keeps working even after multiple treatment failures. The investigational once-daily pill maintained clinical and endoscopic remission over 44 weeks in patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis — including those who had failed biologics, JAK inhibitors, and other advanced therapies. The 50-mg dose edged out the 25-mg dose in the toughest-to-treat patients.
A new oral drug could offer hope to ulcerative colitis (UC) patients who've run out of options. The ABTECT-Maintenance trial found that obefazimod — a once-daily small molecule that works via a novel mechanism (boosting microRNA-124 to dial down inflammation) — sustained clinical and endoscopic remission over 44 weeks in patients with moderate-to-severe UC, including those who had previously failed multiple advanced therapies.
Results presented at UEG Week 2026 showed that even among the hardest-to-treat patients — those who had failed four or more prior advanced therapies or specifically JAK inhibitors — obefazimod still produced meaningful remission rates, compared with zero remission in the placebo group.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: With many UC patients cycling through and failing existing therapies, obefazimod's distinct mechanism and durable efficacy — even in multi-drug-resistant cases — could fill a critical gap in treatment options.
