Cure8 research brief
Why This Matters
This study compares two commonly used advanced therapies for ulcerative colitis—an anti-TNF (infliximab) and a JAK inhibitor (tofacitinib)—and reports higher 52-week corticosteroid-free remission with tofacitinib in patients previously exposed to advanced therapies, with numeric advantage in therapy-naive patients.
Those considering therapy choice or switching may find these comparative real-world results relevant.
Who Should Pay Attention
Adults with ulcerative colitis (especially those considering or switching advanced therapies), clinicians who treat IBD, researchers studying comparative effectiveness, and patients currently on biologics or small molecules.
Study Snapshot
What To Know
This is a real-world, retrospective study from multiple centers covering initiations between 2010 and 2025, with the primary analysis restricted to when both drugs were available (from May 2018 onward in Japan).
The study separately analyzed AT-naive and AT-exposed patients using overlap weighting and reports week 14 and week 52 remission, plus 3-year treatment persistence.
The reported 52-week corticosteroid-free remission was higher with tofacitinib in AT-exposed patients (38.8% vs 19.0%; OR 2.71) and numerically favored tofacitinib in AT-naive patients (64.5% vs 43.9%; OR 2.32) though the latter did not reach statistical significance.
Three-year persistence differences were not statistically significant but numerically favored tofacitinib in AT-naive patients. The authors describe the findings as exploratory. If you are comparing these treatments with your clinician, note this study is observational and retrospective; it can suggest associations but not prove causation.
Discussion with your care team should consider individual factors such as prior treatment history, comorbidities, safety profiles, and formulation/access issues.
Keep In Mind
This is a multicenter retrospective cohort (real-world) study, not a randomized trial. The authors restricted the primary analysis to a period when both drugs were available locally and used statistical weighting, but residual confounding and selection bias remain possible. The paper describes findings as exploratory.
Source Details
Review the original publication for the complete reporting, methods, and context.
This Cure8 brief is based on source text from the linked article. Cure8 is informational only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.