Once-daily budesonide MMX® extended-release tablets induce remission in patients with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis: results from the CORE I study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Budesonide is a corticosteroid with minimal systemic corticosteroid activity due to first-pass hepatic metabolism. Budesonide MMX® is a once-daily oral formulation of budesonide that extends budesonide release throughout the colon using multi-matrix system (MMX) technology.

METHODS: We performed a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of budesonide MMX for induction of remission in 509 patients with active, mild to moderate ulcerative colitis (UC). Patients were randomly assigned to groups that were given budesonide MMX (9 mg or 6 mg), mesalamine (2.4 g, as reference), or placebo for 8 weeks. The primary end point was remission at week 8.

RESULTS: The rates of remission at week 8 among subjects given 9 mg or 6 mg budesonide MMX or mesalamine were 17.9%, 13.2%, and 12.1%, respectively, compared with 7.4% for placebo (P = .0143, P = .1393, and P = .2200). The rates of clinical improvement at week 8 among patients given 9 mg or 6 mg budesonide MMX or mesalamine were 33.3%, 30.6%, and 33.9%, respectively, compared with 24.8% for placebo (P = .1420, P = .3146, and P = .1189). The rates of endoscopic improvement at week 8 among subjects given 9 mg or 6 mg budesonide MMX or mesalamine were 41.5%, 35.5%, and 33.1%, respectively, compared with 33.1% for placebo. The rates of symptom resolution at week 8 among subjects given 9 mg or 6 mg budesonide MMX or mesalamine were 28.5%, 28.9%, and 25.0%, respectively, compared with 16.5% for placebo (P = .0258, P = .0214, and P = .1025). Adverse events occurred at similar frequencies among groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Budesonide MMX (9 mg) was safe and more effective than placebo in inducing remission in patients with active, mild to moderate UC.