Ulcerative colitis patients get new treatment

New treatment to help mild sufferers of ulcerative colitis.

The US Food and Drug Administration have approved a new tablet-based treatment for ulcerative colitis that could make life easier for thousands of sufferers across the country, the developer has announced.

According to pharmaceutical company Santarus, patients with active mild-to-moderate symptoms of the condition through the use of a 9mg pill taken once daily in the morning for up to eight weeks.

The treatment, which is called UCERIS, contains a locally acting glucocorticosteroid called budesonide which utilises proprietary MMX multi-matrix system colonic delivery technology for maximum efficiency.

Wendell Wierenga, PhD, executive vice president of research and development, said: "UCERIS fills an important therapeutic gap as a new prescription option available to physicians treating patients in the active phase of mild to moderate ulcerative colitis."

He added that clinical trials had indicated a three-fold increase in recovery in those taking UCERIS when compared with patients taking a placebo, demonstrating a clear link to alleviating the conditions of ulcerative colitis.