Vedolizumab for Preventing Post-Surgical Recurrence in Crohn’s Disease
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Reviewed by Dat Tien Nguyen, B.A, ScM.
Translated by Nhi Phuong Quynh Le, B.A |
Posted on September 26th, 2025
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Despite successful surgical resection, many patients with Crohn’s disease relapse within the first year, and no medical therapy is currently approved to prevent recurrence following surgery. Vedolizumab, already approved for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, has been investigated for its potential use in this setting through a study funded by Takeda.
The trial, conducted in Europe, enrolled 84 patients with a median age of 36 years who had recently undergone ileocolonic resection. Participants were randomized to receive intravenous infusions of either 300 mg vedolizumab or placebo every 4 weeks. Vedolizumab targets the α4β7 integrin, blocking T-cell migration to the gut and thereby reducing lymphocyte infiltration and intestinal inflammation.
At 24 weeks, treatment with vedolizumab was associated with significantly greater clinical improvement and lower rates of disease recurrence, as measured by the Rutgeerts score. The authors noted that earlier research comparing vedolizumab with the TNF antagonist infliximab suggested superior efficacy of vedolizumab. They emphasized the need for future studies with larger cohorts, extended follow-up, and patient stratification by histopathological features.
The trial, conducted in Europe, enrolled 84 patients with a median age of 36 years who had recently undergone ileocolonic resection. Participants were randomized to receive intravenous infusions of either 300 mg vedolizumab or placebo every 4 weeks. Vedolizumab targets the α4β7 integrin, blocking T-cell migration to the gut and thereby reducing lymphocyte infiltration and intestinal inflammation.
At 24 weeks, treatment with vedolizumab was associated with significantly greater clinical improvement and lower rates of disease recurrence, as measured by the Rutgeerts score. The authors noted that earlier research comparing vedolizumab with the TNF antagonist infliximab suggested superior efficacy of vedolizumab. They emphasized the need for future studies with larger cohorts, extended follow-up, and patient stratification by histopathological features.