The ulcerative colitis trial landscape in 2026
Ulcerative colitis has become one of the most competitive gastroenterology therapeutic areas, driven by a succession of approved biologics, the arrival of JAK inhibitors, and now a next wave of mechanisms entering late-stage trials. For IBD-focused pharmaceutical and biotech teams, the UC landscape presents both an opportunity (large addressable patient population, willingness to pay, established clinical endpoints) and a challenge (crowded market, escalating trial sizes, increasingly treatment-experienced patient populations).
The UC and Crohn's disease trial ecosystems overlap substantially in mechanism but differ in disease location and some biomarkers. Teams monitoring one should typically monitor the other.
Get daily ulcerative colitis trial digest
New IL-23, JAK, TL1A, and S1P programs, in your inbox each morning.
Sign Up FreeA primary completion date pushed out, enrollment cut, or a primary endpoint changed in the last 90 days. Active trials only.
| Trial | Warning signs | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Feasibility Pilot Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial (SMART) for… NCT05867329 | Primary completion moved at least 1 year 5 months later Primary endpoints added | Recruiting |
37 more on the Trials at Risk page. See which trials →
Phase 2 and Phase 3 trials with a primary completion date in the next 180 days, as ClinicalTrials.gov estimates it today. Active trials only.
| Trial | Scheduled | Phase |
|---|---|---|
| A Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Induction Therapy With Afimkibart… NCT06588855 | Oct 29, 2026 · Estimated | Phase 3 |
18 more on the Completions page. See the calendar →
Key therapeutic mechanisms in UC trials
IL-23 inhibitors: selective p19 targeting
The IL-23 class (guselkumab, risankizumab, mirikizumab) has largely displaced IL-12/23 dual inhibitors (ustekinumab) in UC. Active trial programs include:
- Head-to-head IL-23 vs. anti-TNF induction and maintenance (active Phase 3)
- IL-23 in combination with vedolizumab for refractory disease
- Next-generation high-affinity anti-IL-23p19 antibodies with extended dosing intervals
- IL-23 in pediatric UC populations
- Biomarker-driven patient selection: fecal calprotectin, serum IL-23 levels
JAK inhibitors: evolving selectivity and safety profiles
Tofacitinib (pan-JAK) and upadacitinib (JAK1-selective) are approved in UC. The next wave focuses on improved selectivity and safety:
- TYK2 selective inhibitors (deucravacitinib in UC development after psoriasis approval)
- Gut-restricted oral JAK inhibitors: limiting systemic exposure while maintaining mucosal efficacy
- JAK inhibitor combinations with 5-ASA for moderate UC
- JAK inhibitor dosing optimization: lower dose maintenance after high-dose induction
TL1A: the new hot target in IBD
TL1A (TNF-like cytokine 1A) has emerged as a major new target after multiple Phase 2 results showed strong efficacy in both UC and Crohn's disease:
- Tulisokibart (anti-TL1A) Phase 3 enrollment ongoing in UC and Crohn's
- PRA023/MK-7240: anti-TL1A antibody with Phase 3 data emerging
- Competing anti-TL1A programs from multiple sponsors in Phase 1–2
- TL1A combination strategies: anti-TL1A + anti-IL-23 for refractory IBD
S1P receptor modulators: gut-selective approaches
Ozanimod (S1P1/5) is approved in UC. The follow-on S1P modulator landscape includes:
- Etrasimod (S1P1/4/5): approved in UC with cleaner cardiac profile than ozanimod
- Next-generation gut-selective S1P modulators with reduced systemic exposure
- S1P + biologic combinations for refractory patients
Integrin inhibitors: beyond vedolizumab
Vedolizumab (anti-α4β7) remains a mainstay of UC therapy. New integrin-targeting approaches include:
- Subcutaneous vedolizumab optimization and maintenance dosing studies
- Anti-β7 antibodies with different selectivity profiles
- Oral integrin inhibitors under development
Mucosal healing and histological remission as endpoints
The trial endpoint landscape in UC is evolving. Regulatory requirements now emphasize composite endpoints including clinical remission, endoscopic improvement, and histological remission. New trials are increasingly powered on these stricter endpoints, affecting sample sizes and enrollment timelines.
Who monitors ulcerative colitis clinical trials?
- GI-focused pharma and biotech teams with UC or IBD pipeline assets monitoring an increasingly crowded competitive landscape
- Clinical development leaders designing new UC trials who need current competitive intelligence on enrollment and endpoint evolution
- Medical affairs and MSL teams at companies with marketed UC therapies tracking competitor trial activity
- GI healthcare investors following the IBD space, particularly the TL1A story
- Academic gastroenterologists reviewing what Phase 2/3 trials are enrolling for patient referral
Start monitoring UC trials today
Free tier with a daily digest. Filter by mechanism, phase, or sponsor type.
Get Started FreeRelated immunology and GI clinical trial monitors
- Crohn's disease clinical trials: overlapping IBD mechanisms: IL-23, TL1A, JAK, integrin programs
- Rheumatoid arthritis clinical trials: shared JAK inhibitor and biologic platform programs
- Atopic dermatitis clinical trials: overlapping JAK and IL-23/TL1A programs across immunology
498 active trials, 258 recruiting.
Industry sponsors run 154 of these trials. The rest are run by universities, hospitals, government bodies and other non-commercial sponsors. The table below lists the 5 largest of 71.
| Top industry sponsor | Active trials |
|---|---|
| Johnson & Johnson / Janssen | 20 |
| AbbVie | 14 |
| Takeda | 10 |
| Pfizer | 8 |
| Eli Lilly and Company | 7 |
| Trial | Status | Latest tracked change | Seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study of Advanced Therapies for the Treatment of Adult Participants With… NCT07697456 | Recruiting | Trial sites expanded: 61 → 64 locations | 2026-10-16 |
| A Study to Learn More About How Risankizumab Works in Young Participants With… NCT07071519 | Recruiting | Trial sites expanded: 65 → 68 locations | 2026-10-16 |
| Describing Treatment Patterns and Creating an Updated Treatment Flow in an… NCT07177209 | Active, Not Recruiting | Study completion pushed from Jul 31, 2026 to Oct 30, 2026 | 2026-10-16 |
| Immune Aging and Advanced Therapy Outcomes in Older Adults With IBD NCT07828886 | Not Yet Recruiting | Start date pushed from Sep 1, 2026 to Oct 12, 2026 | 2026-10-14 |
| Prospective Evaluation of Flare Detection in IBD With Digital Biomarkers: Bring… NCT07647640 | Recruiting | Study completion pushed from Oct 15, 2027 to Dec 15, 2027 | 2026-10-14 |
Each trial page shows every change DataLookout has recorded for that trial.
DataLookout checks ClinicalTrials.gov every day and records what changed on each trial: status, enrollment, phase, primary endpoint, completion dates, sites, sponsor, and the stated reason a trial stopped. Add a sponsor or a disease to your watchlist, or save any search, and the changes arrive in a daily or weekly email digest.
Free, $0 forever: 1 sponsor + 1 disease watchlist, 1 saved search in your email digest, track up to 5 individual trials, daily change detection, Trials at Risk (top 2 trials), the weekly report (top 3 trials). No credit card.
Pro, $49/month or $490/year: 10 sponsor + 10 disease watchlists, 10 saved searches in your email digest, track up to 25 individual trials, full Trials at Risk list, Completions calendar, the full weekly report, landscape reports, CSV export.