Risankizumab to treat moderately to severely active Crohn's disease in adults: an evaluation of trials and data

IntroductionRisankizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that selectively inhibits interleukin (IL)-23. It is approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and more recently moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease (CD).Areas CoveredAfter examining the current landscape of CD management including therapies which are currently approved and those in late stages of development, we will review the interleukin pathway and discuss the specific mechanism of targeted IL-23 inhibition, summarize available clinical trial data on efficacy and safety of Risankizumab, consider future positioning of Risankizumab in the therapeutic armamentarium, and ultimately discuss future needs for the field.Expert OpinionRisankizumab represents the first and only targeted IL-23 inhibitor approved for the treatment of CD, providing a promising addition to the therapeutic armamentarium for CD, with a favorable safety profile and demonstrated efficacy in both biologic-naive and exposed populations. It is possible that the targeted nature of Risankizumab may enhance efficacy and safety over combined IL-12/23 inhibition, with trials underway attempting to shed light on that hypothesis.