In final draft guidance, NICE says vedolizumab (also called Entyvio, Millennium Pharmaceuticals) can be considered as an option to treat people with moderate to severely active Crohn’s disease when their disease has not responded well to previous treatments or their treatment has stopped working.

Professor Carole Longson, NICE Health Technology Evaluation Centre Director, said: “Crohn's disease is a long-term condition that causes inflammation of the wall of the digestive system. There are around 115,000 people living with the condition in the UK. Crohn's disease can affect people of all ages, including children. However, most cases first develop between the ages of 16 and 30. Common symptoms can include: diarrhoea, abdominal pain, extreme tiredness and unintended weight loss.

 “After considering further information, NICE is happy to be able to recommend vedolizumab as a treatment option for those with Crohn’s disease.  We hope the recommendation will benefit tens of thousands of people who live with this debilitating condition.”

The draft guidance from NICE also says that patients receiving vedolizumab for Crohn’s disease should be reassessed after 12 months and that treatment should only continue if it is still justified as both clinically and cost effective.

Final guidance for the NHS about the use of vedolizumab as a treatment option for those with severely active Crohn’s disease is expected to be published by NICE later this year.