This publication reviews the evidence for the use of upadacitinib as the only once-daily oral advanced therapy indicated for both moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Upadacitinib is a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor and is approved by Medsafe NZ for the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active UC who have had an inadequate or lost response, or who were intolerant, to conventional therapy or an advanced therapy medicine, and patients with moderately to severely active CD. The review summarises the efficacy and safety of upadacitinib based on data obtained from the U-EXCEL and U-EXCEED induction trials and the U-ENDURE maintenance trial in patients with CD, and the U-ACHIEVE and U-ACCOMPLISH induction studies and the U-ACHIEVE maintenance study in patients with UC AbbVie provided funding for these studies. Upadacitinib is currently not funded by Pharmac for patients with UC or CD.
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