The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recently issued guidelines for a new drug called vedolizumab as a treatment option for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn’s disease (CD).

This is a significant development because it is the first new type of biological treatment for UC and CD in a decade. Vedolizumab targets a specific protein involved in chronic inflammation that is found only in the intestine. As a result, treatment with vedolizumab may reduce inflammation of the intestine with less side effects and risks that other biological treatments.

Vedolizumab is now available on the NHS. If you would like to find out more about this treatment option, we recommend speaking with your doctor.