Efficacy of Second-Line Biological Therapies in Moderate to Severe Ulcerative Colitis Patients with Prior Failure of Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor Therapy: A Multi-Center Study.

Background: Few studies have compared the efficacy and safety of second-line biological therapies in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients with prior exposure to anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy. We aim to compare the efficacy and safety between ustekinumab, vedolizumab, and tofacitinib, a current option as second-line biological therapy with different mechanisms in those patients.

Methods: This retrospective multi-center study was conducted across five institutions from 2011 to 2022. We enrolled patients with moderate to severe UC who failed anti-TNF therapy and subsequently received ustekinumab, vedolizumab, or tofacitinib as second-line biological therapy. The outcomes were analyzed for clinical response/remission and endoscopic improvement/remission rates after induction therapy, drug persistency, and adverse events.

Results: A total of 70 UC patients were included and grouped into ustekinumab (11 patients), vedolizumab (40 patients), and tofacitinib (19 patients) treatments. The clinical response/remission rates after induction therapy were similar between ustekinumab (90.9/81.8%), vedolizumab (92.5/65.0%), and tofacitinib (94.7/73.7%). There were no significant differences in the endoscopic improvement/remission rates between the three groups: 90.9/18.2% for ustekinumab, 72.5/12.5% for vedolizumab, and 84.2/26.3% for tofacitinib. Drug persistence was similar across the three agents (p = 0.130). Three patients of the tofacitinib group experienced adverse events (herpes zoster and hypertriglyceridemia).

Conclusions: Based on real-world data, second-line biological therapy with ustekinumab, vedolizumab, and tofacitinib showed comparable efficacy in patients with moderate to severe UC with prior exposure to anti-TNF therapy.