What the trial was testing
The U-ACHIEVE / U-ACCOMPLISH enrolled 522 patients with ulcerative colitis. The study was sponsored by AbbVie and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
It was a large trial designed to confirm whether the treatment works well enough for wider use. Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.
What the results showed
52% of patients on the higher dose achieved remission at one year, compared to 12% on placebo.
Lancet (London, England) · 2022 · NCT03653026
These findings — that more than half of patients on the higher maintenance dose stayed in remission — were published in the Lancet (London, England) and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 522 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with ulcerative colitis, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
Upadacitinib (brand name Rinvoq) is FDA-approved for moderate to severe ulcerative colitis. It's a pill you take once a day. If you're struggling with ulcerative colitis symptoms or not responding well to current treatments, ask your doctor whether this medication might be right for you.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open ulcerative colitis trials
Tailored Anti-Inflammatory (A-I) Diet for Americans With Ulcerative Colitis (UC)
The purpose of this study is to test the effect of an anti-inflammatory diet that incorporates native foods of the American diet on disease remission in American patients with Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and to identify biomarkers of response to dietary therapy.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Research Registry
Patients seen at the Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease will be asked to provide their written informed consent (authorization) to allow their identifiable medical record information related to their Inflammatory Bowel Disease to be placed in Center's Research Registry for the purpose of facilitating retrospective research studies directed at Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and the identification and recruitment of potential, eligible subjects for participation in future research studies involving Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Information obtained from the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Registry will allow a better classification of disease and factors that influence the natural course of disease; which may lead to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of IBD and may permit the development of better therapies and the potential for preventive therapies.