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Article: Stelara effective in treating UC

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 5/30/2019 6:37 AM (GMT -6)
Looks like we are getting closer to an approval of Stelara for the treatment of UC, without being off-label.

https://www.healio.com/gastroenterology/inflammatory-bowel-disease/news/online/%7B7ee5847b-2fd8-49cb-af32-aebaadaa5bd1%7D/stelara-effective-for-induction-maintenance-of-uc-regardless-of-biologic-history

Stelara effective for induction, maintenance of UC regardless of biologic history

SAN DIEGO — Stelara was effective for the induction and maintenance treatment of patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis whether or not they previously failed biologic therapy, according to data from the UNIFI study presented at Digestive Disease Week.

“Ustekinumab [Stelara, Janssen] is an IL-12/23 blocker that’s approved for Crohn’s disease, and ... is also effective in induction and maintenance of clinical remission in patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis,” Bruce E. Sands, MD, of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, said in his presentation. “But here we are looking at two distinct populations who came into this study.”

The trial included an analysis of the drug’s efficacy in patients who previously failed biologic treatment (51.1% of randomized patients), of which 98% had failed at least one anti-TNF, and 32.6% failed both anti-TNF and Entyvio (vedolizumab, Takeda).
Posted 5/30/2019 7:45 AM (GMT -6)
Stelara works really well for me. I’ve been on it for about 3 years. I had to get the correct dosing, frequency and the loading IV dose. 90ml every 56 days and an IV loading dose. When I originally started with the psoriasis dosing it did not work for me. 45mgs every 90 days and no IV loading dose.
Posted 5/30/2019 9:15 AM (GMT -6)
The problem with Stelara is that it probably won't be covered by some insurance plans due to the costs. My insurance is billed $46,214 per dose and with their discount they pay $21,584.
Posted 5/30/2019 10:08 AM (GMT -6)
Oh they're all up there. I think entyvio/xeljanz/stelara are all in excess of $15k for a 60-day supply. There's a reason insurance tries and push us to Humira first, self administered at home, and less than $10k for same days supply. Biosimilars save some for humira/remicade, but biologics aren't chump-change, by any means.
Posted 5/30/2019 11:27 AM (GMT -6)
I thought Xeljanz was about $2,500 for a 30 day supply and Entyvio was in the $3,300 a dose range.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/nbk424364/table/t68/ (2016 average costs)
Posted 5/30/2019 2:03 PM (GMT -6)
Thanks for sharing.
Posted 1/29/2020 8:25 PM (GMT -6)
Keith -- Are you still on it? Is it seriously over $46,000 per dose?! That is insane.
Posted 1/29/2020 10:59 PM (GMT -6)
I looked at that table from 2016 — hah!!!!!

If that’s the true cost then boy are the drug lords making bank. It lists entyvio at a little over 3k. But the bill is actually 16k, of which about 5-6k is actually paid out by my insurance.
Posted 1/30/2020 7:16 AM (GMT -6)
Yes, billed at $46,214.66. Now my plan pays out $14,523. I just saw some corrections on my latest bills (January 2020), they paid 21,664 then credit it back, and then paid this new rate of $14,523.

Stelara is self-injected usually at home. Entyvio is infused so you get additional charges above the medication itself.

It works really well for me and it was very fast acting when I was given the IBD dosage.
Posted 1/30/2020 9:44 AM (GMT -6)
How long did it take to work?
Posted 1/30/2020 7:06 PM (GMT -6)
Took 2-3 days to starting work and it was very effective right from the start, similar to when I used cyclosporine.
Posted 1/30/2020 8:40 PM (GMT -6)
Awesome. I hope to start it soon. I have to go in and see my GI first.
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