A New Rx for Crohn’s Disease

FDA approves Skyrizi (risankizumab-rzaa) to treat Crohn’s disease

(RxWiki News) There's a new treatment for Crohn's disease.

It's called Skyrizi (risankizumab-rzaa). The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved it to treat moderate to severe Crohn's disease in adults.

This medication is an anti-interleukin 23 (IL-23) monoclonal antibody. It's the first of its kind to be approved for the treatment of Crohn's disease, noted drug maker AbbVie.

Before Skyrizi was approved to treat Crohn's disease, it was tested in three clinical trials.

"In both the induction and maintenance clinical trials, a significantly greater number of adult patients saw few or no symptoms and a meaningful reduction of visible signs of intestinal inflammation, compared to placebo," said Dr. Marla Dubinsky, chief of the division of pediatric gastroenterology for the Mount Sinai Health System and co-director of the Susan and Leonard Feinstein IBD Center at Mount Sinai, in a press release. "This approval provides healthcare professionals with a greatly needed additional option for treating the disruptive symptoms of Crohn's disease."

This medication has already been approved to treat active psoriatic arthritis and moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

Possible side effects of Skyrizi included stomach pain, diarrhea, cough, muscle aches, weight loss, fever, chills, headache, anemia and upper respiratory infections, among others.

Talk to your health care provider about the available treatments for your condition.

Review Date: 
July 4, 2022