Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is impacted by genetic, environmental and immunological factors, where the imbalance in T-cell immune responses significantly promotes its progression. In recent years, the role of RNA modifications in epigenetic regulation has caught significant attention in research; among these, N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C) is the only acetylation process in RNA and plays a role in several biological processes, but its implication in the functioning of immune cells is largely unknown to date.

Researchers from The University of Edinburgh have presented data from a study that aimed to investigate the mechanisms behind intestinal stem cell (ISC) dysfunction in ulcerative colitis (UC).

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic, immune-mediated disorder of the colon and rectum characterized by mucosal inflammation that damages the bowel wall surface. Current therapeutic options include 5-aminosalicylates, corticosteroids or anti-TNF agents, but there is a need for new strategies to obtain higher remission rates and less systemic immunosuppression.

The potential for TL1A-targeting duvakitug to impact unmet needs of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), and to provide antifibrotic effects for a host of other diseases, boosted shares of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Sanofi SA by 26.5% and 6.7%, respectively, as the partners released what analysts called “best-in-class” results from the phase IIb Relieve UCCD study and prepare for a phase III trial in 2025.