Two-thirds of patients receiving golimumab for moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UC) show a significant clinical response within six weeks, according to a phase IV study in the UK.

The open-label GO-COLITIS study enrolled 205 adults (average age 39 years) who had suffered from UC for at least three months, but who had not received anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy. After the first six weeks of treatment with golimumab, 68.8 per cent of patients showed clinical responses, while 38.5 per cent entered clinical remission.

Eight per cent developed serious adverse events – usually flare or worsening (5 per cent), and accidental overdose, anaphylaxis, constipation, rectal fissure and respiratory tract infection (each less than 1 per cent). Four per cent stopped due to serious adverse events.