Abstract
Vedolizumab is a monoclonal IgG1 antibody, which has been approved a few months ago for use in clinical practice in the European Union for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients. It is expected to be introduced in the Czech market this year.
The clinical research GEMINI I-III proved that vedolizumab is very effective in patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. The big advantage of vedolizumab therapy is its high efficacy in patients who fail or stop to respond to an anti-TNFα therapy, a sustained effect that increases over time, low immunogenicity and a high safety profile, caused by a high selectivity for the gastrointestinal tract.
Possible disadvantages may include a relatively slow onset of the anti-inflammatory effect, limited influence on symptoms outside the bowel and a low potential for the treatment of perianal Crohn's disease.