A study to assess the efficacy of tofacitinib for the treatment of chronic pouchitis in adults

Abstract

Chronic pouchitis is a common complication after a restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA). Although antibiotics have been the mainstay of treatment for acute pouchitis, a proportion of patients become antibiotic-dependent or develop antibiotic-refractory pouchitis. There are few effective therapeutic options for these patients, and few prospective trials assessing their effectiveness.

Tofacitinib was recently approved by Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). It was found to be effective for induction and maintenance therapy in patients with moderate to severe UC. Chronic pouchitis is associated with similar inflammatory pathway activation as UC, therefore this study aims to investigate whether tofacitinib is effective for the treatment of chronic pouchitis.