Comparing Treatments for Ileal Crohn's Disease in Adults

Trial details

Who runs it

University of Calgary

Trial code

NCT05928039

Record updated

26 October 2026

Original description

There are currently three classes of biologic treatments approved in Canada for the management of moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease: anti-tumor necrosis factor [TNF] alpha, anti-integrin, and anti-interleukin [IL]-23 targeted agents. The purpose of this trial is to determine which of these three classes of biologics results in the highest percentage of patients with small bowel (ileal) Crohn's disease entering into endoscopic remission without needing corticosteroids at 1 year. Endoscopic remission means that the ulcers in the small bowel from Crohn's disease have healed. All treatments in this trial are approved by Health Canada. No experimental drugs will be included.Read full original descriptionShow less

PATHFINDER: A Pragmatic, Active-comparator, Parallel-group, Randomized Trial to Evaluate the Optimal First-line Treatment Strategy for Moderate-to-Severely Active Ileal-dominant Crohn's Disease

There are currently three classes of biologic treatments approved in Canada for the management of moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease: anti-tumor necrosis factor [TNF] alpha, anti-integrin, and anti-interleukin [IL]-23 targeted agents. The purpose of this trial is to determine which of these three classes of biologics results in the highest percentage of patients with small bowel (ileal) Crohn's disease entering into endoscopic remission without needing corticosteroids at 1 year. Endoscopic remission means that the ulcers in the small bowel from Crohn's disease have healed. All treatments in this trial are approved by Health Canada. No experimental drugs will be included.

Inclusion: Male or nonpregnant, nonlactating females, 18 years of age or older. Females of childbearing potential must have a negative serum or urine pregnancy test prior to randomization; Established CD diagnosis by conventional criteria; Baseline colonoscopy within 3 months of the first day of the screening period, with photo or video documentation of at least one large ileal ulcer >5 mm and ileal segment SES-CD ≥4 (eligibility will be determined by local endoscopist, with subsequent confirmation by a CR at a later time, post enrolment); Biologic-treatment naïve for CD-related therapies; Would otherwise have been eligible to start a biologic for moderate-to-severely active CD as part of their routine clinical care and for whom there is equipoise around which biologic class to start; Willing and able to participate fully in all aspects of this clinical trial, including adherence to study protocol and treatment algorithm; Written informed consent must be obtained and documented.

Exclusion: CD-related complications such as symptomatic, endoscopically impassable strictures or abscesses that require imminent surgery (at investigator's discretion); Recent bowel resection <3 months before screening; Active chronic or acute infections requiring treatment with systemic antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, antiparasitics, or antiprotozoals during the screening period; Not willing to withhold protocol-prohibited medications during the trial, or planned or anticipated use of any prohibited medications during screening; Received previously or currently receiving a TNF antagonist, anti-integrin, monoclonal antibody targeting IL-12/23 or IL-23, Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, or sphingosine 1 phosphate (S1P) receptor modulators (irrespective of indication); Condition(s) for which the biologics included in this study is contraindicated; Participants with current or history of colonic dysplasia or neoplasia, toxic megacolon, or fulminant colitis; Active enteric infection (positive stool culture), including but not limited to bacterial (including C. difficile), viral, or parasitic enteric infections; Known active hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or human immunodeficiency virus infection; Active COVID-19 infection during the screening period; Tested positive as part of SOC for tuberculosis (TB) at screening by QuantiFERON® TB Gold Test, tuberculin skin test, or history of untreated latent or active TB; History of malignancy within 5 years of screening, except fully treated carcinoma in-situ of the cervix, fully treated and resolved nonmetastatic squamous or basal cell carcinoma of the skin; Serious underlying disease other than CD that, in the opinion of the investigator, may interfere with the participant's ability to participate fully in the study; History of alcohol or drug abuse that, in the opinion of the investigator, may interfere with the participant's ability to comply with the study procedures; Pregnancy or breastfeeding.

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05928039