New Drug Shows Breakthrough In Treating Crohn’s Disease
Published: February 11, 2005
It’s a mysterious, potentially debilitating illness that can cause severe intestinal pain. While researchers don’t know what causes Crohn’s disease, they may have found a way to control the symptoms.
Caring for show horses is a demanding hobby.
“When you don’t feel good, you can’t do things like this,” Matt Abfall said.
Abfall hadn’t felt well for a long time. Not until, he said, he started a new, once-a-month treatment for his Crohn’s disease.
Simply put, Crohn’s disease is an ulcer inside of the intestines. It not only causes intestinal problems, it can target other parts of the body.
“It just pretty much makes you feel all-around lousy,” Abfall said.
There is no cure, but The Cleveland Clinic and 59 other medical centers around the world are testing a new drug called Natalizumab to see whether it will help manage the disease.
“Patients hopefully will be able to receive the medication and be, for a period of time, without symptoms,” said Dr. Aaron Brzezinski, of The Cleveland Clinic.
Normally, the intestine has a low level of inflammation to fight off bacteria. With Crohn’s disease, the inflammation is out of control because too many white blood cells have flowed to the intestine to fight the bacteria. Natalizumab is supposed to act like a traffic cop, re-routing the white blood cells away from the intestine without altering a person’s immune system.
“All the inflammation still needs to be collected from all the centers and needs to be analyzed, but if this medication works the way we expect it to work, it’s going to be a very significant advancement,” Brzezinski said.
“This medicine’s really helping. I’m able to do everything. I’m able to help, I got a lot of energy,” Abfall said.
Abfall said he hasn’t missed work — or a day working the horses.
The medication that works so well for Abfall still needs Food and Drug Administration appoval. That could come as early as this year.
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