Takeda's Entyvio Beats Humira In Head-To-Head Ulcerative Colitis Trial

Preliminary clinical data showing Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.’s gut-selective biologic, vedolizumab (Entyvio), was superior to AbbVie Inc.’s anti-TNF biologic Humira (adalimumab) in achieving clinical remissions in patients with moderate-to-severe active ulcerative colitis could have important implications for clinical practice, and also commercially for the therapeutic sector.

The VARSITY study is thought to be one of the first head-to-head blinded comparisons of two biologics in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); it also involves a drug, Humira, for which biosimilar versions are likely to become available in the next several years, likely reducing the cost of therapy and increasing competitive pressures in this and other therapeutic sectors