Use of new once-daily 5-aminosalicylic acid preparations in the treatment of ulcerative colitis:Is there anything new under the sun?

5-aminosalicylate(5-ASA)agents remain the mainstay treatment in ulcerative colitis(UC).A number of oral 5-ASA agents are commercially available,including azobond pro-drugs,as well as delayed-and controlledrelease forms of mesalazine.However,poor adherence due to frequent daily dosing and a large number of tablets has been shown to be an important barrier to successful management of patients with UC.Recently, new,once-daily formulations of mesalazine,including the unique multi-matrix delivery system and mesalazine granules,were proven to be efficacious in inducing and maintaining remission in mild-to-moderate UC,with a good safety profile comparable to that of other oral mesalazine formulations.In addition,they offer the advantage of a low pill burden and might contribute to increased long-term compliance and treatment success in clinical practice.This editorial summarizes the available literature on the short-and medium-term efficacy and safety of the new once-daily mesalazine formulations.