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Crohn’s Update: Long-Term Combo Therapy Linked to Greater Anti-TNF Durability
Medications
Infliximab
Combination Therapy
Anti-TNF
Clinical study
Adult patients
Clinicians
Patients On Biologics
Why This Matters
Staying on an immunomodulator with anti-TNF therapy was linked to greater long-term persistence of the biologic drug, which matters because loss of response to anti-TNF agents is a common problem in Crohn’s disease. These findings could influence decisions about whether and when to stop the immunomodulator.
Who Should Pay Attention
Adults with newly diagnosed Crohn’s disease, patients currently on anti-TNF therapy (especially infliximab), clinicians managing biologic and combination therapy, and researchers studying treatment durability and immunogenicity.
Study Snapshot
Story typeResearch news
Evidence typeClinical study
Source depthFull source text
What To Know
New analyses from the PROFILE trial presented at UEG Week 2026 found that adults with newly diagnosed Crohn’s disease who stayed on an immunomodulator (typically a thiopurine such as azathioprine) alongside anti-TNF therapy (infliximab) were substantially more likely to remain on anti-TNF treatment over about 5 years compared with those on anti-TNF alone.
Withdrawal of the immunomodulator was associated with faster loss of response and shorter anti-TNF persistence. The benefit appeared to include reductions in both immunogenic and nonimmunogenic treatment failure.
The long-term comparison was observational because treatment after the trial’s first 48 weeks was by usual care, and authors call for prospective studies to weigh durability against potential long-term safety risks of prolonged combination immunosuppression.
Keep In Mind
PROFILE was a randomized trial initially, but the long-term comparison of combination versus monotherapy during follow-up was observational with clinician-directed care; safety beyond 5 years and optimal timing for immunomodulator withdrawal remain uncertain. The reported reduction in nonimmunogenic failure is a novel finding that requires further study.
Source Details
Review the original publication for the complete reporting, methods, and context.
Clinical study
Article type assigned from Cure8 classification; confirm details in the original source.
Publicationmedscape.com
AuthorsBecky McCall, MScPh, PhD, MSc
Indexed viaBing News
Source typeWeb article
PublishedOct 20, 2026, 5:00 PM
Content availableFull source text
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.
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