At the 2026 Digestive Disease Week (DDW) conference, there was significant buzz around certain pharma and medical device readouts, with key results spanning across oesophageal disorders, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and digestive oncology.
As the meeting, which took place between 2-5 May in Chicago, draws to a close, Pharmaceutical Technology examines the key readouts from the conference and the future impact they may have on the market.
AbbVie’s Skyrizi shows real-world benefit
One of the key focal points at DDW 2026 was IBD, with several companies presenting results from key drug trials across Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (UC).
This includes prominent immunology player AbbVie, which touted long-term follow-up data from its real-world ASPIRE-CD study (NCT03105102) on blockbuster IL-23 blocker, Skryizi (risankizumab) in Crohn’s disease. This trial found that use of corticosteroids amongst patients dropped from 34% at baseline to 7% by week 52, while 25% and 46% of those who had Crohn’s-linked arthritis and skin conditions experienced relief from these symptoms at the end of the study period.
Skyrizi was also found to improve health-related quality of life (QoL), with 77% of patients reporting that they were enjoying life more by week 52, and 92% stating they were satisfied with the drug as a Crohn’s treatment option.
J&J shares Tremfya mono/duo readouts in IBD
Meanwhile, data presented by Johnson & Johnson (J&J) on rival IL-23 inhibitor, Tremfya (guselkumab), reveals that the drug has become the first in its class to exhibit efficacy in perianal fistulising Crohn’s disease, which impacts around 20-30% of patients with this condition.
In the Phase III FUZION trial (NCT05347095), Tremfya met the trial’s primary endpoint of combined fistula remission by week 24, with 28.3% of patients taking 100mg of the drug every eight weeks seeing full closure of all external fistula openings and no new formations. This marks a significant increase from the 10.3% who achieved this in the placebo group.
However, the anticipated Phase IIb DUET programme, evaluating J&J-4804, an antibody co-formulation of Tremfya and Simponi (golimumab) in ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s, failed to meet its primary endpoint of clinical remission – despite the combination prompting better outcomes than each drug alone. While this will be a setback for the role of Tremfya and Simponi in tandem, J&J still plans to progress J&J-4804 to Phase III, where the company will assess its potential in patients who have had an inadequate response to two or more therapy classes.
In a research note, Jefferies analysts noted that the data “continues to be supportive of a combination approach in IBD,” similar to the one employed by Spyre Therapeutics with α4β7-targeting antibody, SPY001, plus TL1A blocker SPY002 or its IL-23 inhibitor, SPY003.
Dupixent’s EoE success
On top of the IBD results shared at DDW 2026, there were some notable readouts in the oesophageal disease space.
This includes a Phase IV win for Regeneron and Sanofi’s best-selling drug, Dupixent (dupilumab), in the Phase IV REMODEL study (NCT06101095). During this trial, the IL-4/IL-13 blocker offered a significant 9% baseline (1.28mm) improvement in the oesophagus’ ability to expand under pressure, at the 24-week mark in adults with eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE).
The drug also reduced the level of EoE-related structural changes to the oesophagus, with patients experiencing a 4.89-point drop from baseline in abnormal endoscopic findings compared with a 0.07-point increase in the placebo group.
Currently, Dupixent and Takeda’s oral corticosteroid, Eohilia (budesonide), are the only therapies that have been approved by US regulators in EoE.
Sebela’s tegoprazan could take on Voquezna
In erosive oesophagitis, US-based company Sebela Pharmaceuticals presented data in two oral abstract sessions on the Phase III TRIUMpH-EE trial (NCT05587309). This study is looking at the potential of a potassium-competitive acid blocker, tegoprazan, versus the standard of care (SoC) proton pump inhibitor (PPI), lansoprazole.
During the study, tegoprazan was proven superior to lansoprazole in prompting sustained complete healing at week 24, with 69.4% of patients achieving this goal over 50.6% in the 15mg lansoprazole group. The tegoprazan arm also saw a marked increase in the percentage of heartburn-free days at 24 weeks, with tegoprazan-treated patients experiencing 72.9% of the days without heartburn, versus the 69.4% rate in the lansoprazole cohort.
TEAEs amongst the tegoprazan therapeutic group were also low and comparable to lansoprazole, with serum gastrin levels remaining within the normal range during the treatment period. If tegoprazan were to secure approval in erosive oesophagitis, it would have to contend for market share with Phathom Pharmaceuticals’ approved drug, Voquezna (vonprazan), which secured the regulatory greenlight back in 2024.
In a research note, Jefferies analysts noted that tegoprazan and Voquezna look similar in terms of efficacy, though they caveat that the post-PPI market “looks big enough to support multiple players”.
Alpha Tau’s radiation therapy in PDAC
Another key area of focus for DDW 2026 was digestive oncology, with multiple companies presenting key readouts across indications with strong unmet needs, like pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and colon cancer.
This includes Alpha Tau Medical, which debuted updated pooled results from two first-in-human clinical trials on its diffusing alpha-emitters radiation, or Alpha DaRT therapy, in PDAC.
During the trials (NCT06698458; NCT06755359), which explored the promise of Alpha DaRT with or without chemotherapy, the treatment demonstrated 100% local disease control across all 19 evaluable patients, with 15 (79%) and four (21%) experiencing stable disease and partial responses, respectively.
Alongside its promising efficacy, researchers observed a favourable safety profile for the drug, as only eight treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) occurred in the 26 patients given Alpha DaRT. All but one of these resolved within two weeks.
Alpha DaRT aims to overcome the limitations of radiation therapy for solid tumours by directly inserting Alpha DaRT “seeds” containing radium-224 into the tumour. As these radium atoms decay, they release high-energy alpha particles, which disperse within the tumour and kill these cells.
While GlobalData oncology analyst, Biswajit Podder, feels encouraged by these results, he notes that Alpha Tau must determine if local control can translate into meaningful clinical outcomes like improved pain control, progression-free survival, overall survival, or conversion to surgery.
"In the near term, Alpha DaRT will more likely be explored as an add on local therapy alongside chemotherapy, rather than replacing systemic treatment in pancreatic cancer," Podder adds.
Neptune’s endoscopy device secures win
Another oncology readout that caught the eye of attendees was Neptune Medical’s single-arm, first-in-human study on its Triton robotic endoscopy system. Neptune designed the device for greater endoscope control and precision throughout the entire colon, reducing fatigue for clinicians during lower gastrointestinal (GI) cancer screenings.
In the CARE I trial (NCT06935734), there were no adverse events (AEs) reported after a 14-day follow-up, with 100% of the 50 patients seeing caecal intubation and the completion of the endoscopy procedure. The Triton system also detected 54.2% and 67.5% of non-cancerous tumours and polyps in the colon, respectively, while posting a 100% polypectomy success rate for polyps <2 cm in size.
According to Podder, the results of the CARE I trial are promising, but he caveats that Neptune is yet to establish superiority over a high-quality manual colonoscopy.
"Its near term impact is likely to be in improving consistency, ergonomics and procedural control in colonoscopy, while the longer term opportunity is in advanced therapeutic endoscopy, as its differentiation is the combination of robotic scope control, stability, ergonomics and future AI enabled endoscopy," he comments.
"Wider adoption will depend on larger multicentre comparative studies, workflow fit, cost, training requirements and reimbursement," Podder concludes.
