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IBD Patients Who Switch from Infliximab to Biosimilar See Mixed Results

Will Boggs MD  |  

In a recent study, Dr. Peter Lakatos from McGill University and Montreal General Hospital, in Canada, and colleagues found no significant changes in remission, trough levels or antidrug antibodies in IBD patients switched from infliximab maintenance therapy to the biosimilar CT-P13.

“Patients (in the Spanish study) did not necessarily undergo a serial strict monitoring; thus, patients may have had some activity,” Dr. Lakatos told Reuters Health by email.

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“Interestingly enough, infusion reactions and infections were more common in the non-switch cohort, which would lead to an opposite conclusion (that the biosimilar is superior) that is not highlighted,” he said. “Thus, conclusions are mixed. I agree about the nocebo effect.”

Several of the Spanish authors reported relationships with one or more companies that manufacture anti-TNF products.

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Dr. Chaparro did not respond to a request for comments.

Reference

  1. Chaparro M, Garre A, Guerra Veloz MF, et al. Effectiveness and safety of the switch from Remicade to CT-P13 in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. J Crohns Colitis. 2019 Apr 12. [Epub ahead of print]

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