New and emerging treatments for ulcerative colitis: a focus on vedolizumab

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is the most common form of chronic inflammatory bowel disease and lacks a curative pharmacological treatment. Traditional therapies, which include 5-aminosalicylates, corticosteroids and immunosuppressants, aim to induce and maintain remission. Biological therapy with anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha agents has added to the range of available treatments. Vedolizumab belongs to a new class of agents (integrin antagonists) that inhibit leukocyte adhesion and aim to selectively inhibit the inflammatory pathway. This article reviews the emerging data on the use of vedolizumab for UC. Evidence to date supports its efficacy in inducing remission in UC, with no major safety concerns identified.