Monotherapy with either adalimumab or ustekinumab appear to be equally effective in biologic-naïve patients with moderate to severe Crohn’s disease, a head-to-head analysis shows.

International researchers say their findings support the use of either monoclonal antibody as first-line treatment for affected patients and will aid clinical decision-making.

In the randomised active-comparator SEAVUE trial, the US-led team assigned 386 adults (mean age 37) with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease and no prior exposure to biologics to receive adalimumab or ustekinumab monotherapy for 12 months.

Those enrolled in the first-of-its-kind study — funded by ustekinumab manufacturer Janssen — had failed to respond to or could not tolerate conventional therapy and had at least one ulcer at baseline endoscopic evaluation.