Advanced combination therapy in inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

Background

The advent of advanced therapies in the recent years have improved outcomes for inflammatory bowel disease patients, but a significant subset of patients remains refractory to monotherapy. Advanced combination therapy, involving two biologic agents or a biologic combined with a small molecule drug, is emerging as a potential strategy to improve clinical remission and address extra-intestinal manifestations.

Methods

This narrative review summarizes current evidence on advanced combination therapy for inflammatory bowel disease, including mechanisms of action, clinical efficacy, safety considerations, and future perspectives. Key clinical trials and real-world studies were analyzed to assess advanced combination therapy outcomes.

Results

Preliminary data indicate that advanced combination therapy enhances response rates in patients who fail monotherapy and appears to be a new therapeutic option in patients with refractory disease or extra-intestinal manifestations. However, long-term safety concerns remain, and few clinicals trials have investigated advanced combination therapy, and standardized guidelines regarding its use in clinical practice are lacking.

Conclusions

Advanced combination therapy represents a promising yet evolving approach in inflammatory bowel disease management. Future research should focus on optimizing combination strategies, identifying patient subgroups most likely to benefit, and establishing safety profiles through large-scale controlled trials. The integration of precision medicine approaches, including biomarker-driven treatment selection, will be crucial in maximizing the efficacy of advanced combination therapy in clinical practice.