H47 -- November 2007 -- New Crohn’s Drug

Intro: Every year up to 30-thousand Americans are diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. It’s an inflammatory condition of the intestines that causes pain, cramping and constant diarrhea. There is no cure for Crohn’s disease, but treatment keeps getting better. More on a new generation of medications from Mayo Clinic.

LIKE MANY PARENTS, BRENDA AND TIM STELOW ‘S AFTERNOONS ARE BOOKED SOLID WITH THEIR KIDS EVENTS.

“BASEBALL, BASKETBALL OR DANCE.”

BUT FOR YEARS, CROHN’S DISEASE MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR BRENDA TO WATCH FROM THE SIDELINES.

“WITH CROHN’S DISEASE THERE’S A SEND OF URGENCY THAT YOU NEED TO GO NOW. THERE’S NO WAITING. I COULD HARDLY LEAVE THE HOUSE BECAUSE IT WAS NON STOP. “

“CROHN’S DISEASE IS AN INFLAMMATORY CONDITION OF THE INTESTINE.”

DR. WILLIAM SANDBORN SAYS CROHN’S IS A RESULT OF YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM ATTACKING ITSELF. TREATMENT INCLUDES ANT-INFLAMMATORY MEDICATIONS (WHICH DID NOT HELP BRENDA), STEROIDS WHICH DID HELP BUT ALSO CAUSED TERRIBLE SIDE EFFECTS,

“I BLEW UP LIKE A WATER BALLOON.”

AND IMMUNE SUPPRESSION DRUGS. NOW THERE’S ANOTHER OPTION. BRENDA ENROLLED IN A MAYO CLINIC STUDY TESTING A NEW DRUG THERAPY.

“WE CAN THINK OF THIS AS SORT OF A SMART BOMB DRUG.”

“EVERY TWO WEEKS I TAKE THIS SHOT.”

THE MEDICATIONS, REMICADE, HUMIRA AND CERTOLIZUMAB PEGOL TARGET THE AREAS OF INFLAMMATION DEEP IN THE LINING OF THE INTESTINES OF PEOPLE WITH CROHN’S DISEASE. THERE, IT INACTIVATES THE SPECIFIC PROTEINS THAT CAUSE INFLAMMATION AND STOPS SYMPTOMS FOR TWO-THIRDS OF THE PEOPLE WHO TAKE IT.

“I HAVEN’T HAD PAIN, I HAVEN’T HAD A SENSE OF URGENCY TO HAVE TO RUN TO THE BATHROOM, I HAVEN’T MISSED ANY OF MY KIDS’ EVENTS BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID TO BE STRANDED WITHOUT A BATHROOM.”

SYMPTOM FREE FOR THREE YEARS.

FOR MEDICAL EDGE, I’M VIVIEN WILLIAMS.

Anchor tag: These medications may stop symptoms for many people, but they cannot cure Crohn’s Disease. Brenda may have flare-ups in the future. But for now, she is symptom-free.

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