Subcutaneous infliximab in inflammatory bowel disease: bridging the gap between theory and practice.

BACKGROUND

At the end of the past century, infliximab (IFX), the first-in-class biological therapy approved in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), dramatically modified the therapeutic armamentarium. The recent development of subcutaneous (SC) formulations of IFX offers a promising alternative, with the potential to improve patient convenience, adherence, and overall outcomes. This review explores the clinical evidence supporting the initiation of SC IFX and the transition from intravenous (IV) to SC IFX.

METHODS

Comprehensive review using MEDLINE (source PUBMED).

RESULTS

Comparative studies have shown that SC IFX is associated with higher IFX serum concentration levels than IV, fewer neutralizing antibodies and similar levels of remission. Real-world studies have confirmed that switching from IV to SC IFX 120 mg is well accepted with a low risk of relapse. The ease of at-home administration has been associated with improved patient satisfaction and reduced healthcare burdens. The adoption of SC IFX could profoundly change the therapeutic landscape, offering a more patient-centered approach to long-term disease control but some questions remain, particularly about the place of IFX in certain populations.

CONCLUSION

In this article, we reviewed the known and unknown data on SC IFX to provide a comprehensive summary and assist IBD physicians in integrating this knowledge into everyday clinical practice.