A revolutionary therapeutic option for Crohn’s disease
The European Commission (EC) has approved mirikizumab, a revolutionary drug developed by Lilly, for the treatment of moderate to severe active Crohn’s disease in adults who have not responded to or tolerated other therapies. This approval marks a significant milestone for patients living with this debilitating chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which affects around 100,000 people in Italy.
How does mirikizumab work?
The treatment works selectively on the p19 subunit of interleukin-23 (IL-23), a key mediator of intestinal inflammation. By blocking this protein, mirikizumab helps reduce inflammation and control the most disabling symptoms of the disease, including chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain, and bowel urgency. The drug had already been approved in 2024 for the treatment of ulcerative colitis, another chronic intestinal disorder.
Scientific evidence and clinical results
The EC’s approval is based on results from the phase 3 VIVID-1 clinical trial, which demonstrated the drug’s effectiveness compared to placebo. The numbers speak for themselves:
- 54.1% of patients treated with mirikizumab achieved clinical remission, compared to 19.6% of the placebo group;
- 48.4% showed a significant endoscopic response, compared to 9% of placebo-treated patients.
Moreover, preliminary data from the VIVID-2 study indicate that over 80% of patients who achieved an endoscopic response after one year maintained the improvement in the second year of treatment.
Expert opinions
Professor Alessandro Armuzzi, a gastroenterologist at Istituto Clinico Humanitas, emphasized how mirikizumabcould be a real game-changer for Crohn’s disease patients: “If not adequately controlled, the condition can lead to severe complications requiring hospitalization and surgery. A targeted drug like mirikizumab offers a therapeutic option with an excellent safety and efficacy profile.”
Professor Silvio Danese, a gastroenterology expert at San Raffaele Hospital, echoed this sentiment, pointing out that many patients still do not achieve full remission with current therapies: “Mirikizumab is another tool in disease management, allowing more patients to control symptoms and improve their quality of life.”
A step forward in IBD treatment
The approval of mirikizumab is a significant step in Lilly’s commitment to improving the quality of life for people with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. The hope is that this new therapeutic option will enable patients to live with less pain, more freedom, and greater clinical stability.
What do you think? Do you believe this new therapy could be a breakthrough in Crohn’s disease treatment? Leave a comment below and share your opinion!
