I know someone with a j-pouch who takes Stelara for chronic pouchitis.

It modifies your immune system so that your pouch can heal.

Stelara is similar to other biologics, in that it targets proteins that are associated with inflammation. It is different because it targets IL-12 and IL-23 proteins, which are specific to the GI tract.

The safety profile is similar to other biologics, with the same cautions about infections.

Jan

As Jan said, Stelara targets interleukin 12/23 pathway which mediates inflammation but this pathway is not gut specific and is implicated in other disease processes. Stelara is approved for UC and Crohn’s, but also psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. It is in clinical trials for a few other rheumatologic diseases, as well. Just wanted to add this, as it is not like vedolizumab which does have a gut specific target (an integrin so totally different mechanism of action). This is important because as Jan said, infection is a risk like many of the biologics other than vedo, but also because there is some chance it may help extraintestinal manifestations of IBD such as arthritis (MAYBE, no trial yet). Anywho. More than you may want to know!

Good catch Pouch 2021! Of course Stelara is not gut specific, since it treats psoriasis too. It just targets a different inflammatory pathway than the TNF inhibitors.

Jan

I just started Stelara 6 weeks ago.  I had issues with Remicade, after 10 years started giving my psoriasis.  It took a few weeks but it seems much like Remicade to me.  Hopefully it will eventually get rid of the psoriasis because that is no fun either.  I am hopeful this will continue to work as advertised (literally).