Remicade tops azathioprine in Crohn's disease study

NEW YORK, Oct 6 - Crohn's disease patients taking Johnson & Johnson's Remicade either alone or with azathioprine experienced steroid-free remission in significantly greater numbers than those taking azathioprine alone, according to results of a clinical trial.

Patients who received Remicade in the study also had greater mucosal healing -- the healing of ulcers in the bowel caused by Crohn's -- researchers said.

Remicade, a blockbuster rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis treatment given by intravenous infusion, is already approved to treat moderate to severe Crohn's in patients who have not responded well to other therapies. It had sales of $1.9 billion for the first half of the year, and greater and earlier use in Crohn's would further boost revenue.

After 26 weeks of treatment, 57 percent of patients receiving Remicade combination therapy and 44 percent of patients receiving Remicade alone achieved steroid-free remission compared with 31 percent of patients receiving azathioprine alone, researchers said.

The results were considered statistically significant.

"I think this really is a very important result that probably should change our practice," said Dr William Sandborn, an inflammatory bowel disease specialist at the Mayo Clinic and a principal investigator of the study.