Cambridge, UK, 28 March 2019: PredictImmune, developers of pioneering prognostic tools for guiding treatment options and improving patient outcomes in immune-mediated diseases, today announced that the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published a Medtech Innovation Briefing (MIB) on the use of PredictSURE IBD™ in the prognosis of inflammatory bowel disease.

MIBs are NICE advice designed to support NHS and social care commissioners and staff who are considering using new medical devices and other medical or diagnostic technologies. Designed to be fast, flexible and responsive to the need for information on innovative technologies, MIBs are commissioned by NHS England and produced in support of the NHS 5-Year Forward View, as one of a number of steps to help accelerate innovation in new treatments and diagnostics. Each MIB includes a description of the technology, how it is used, its potential role in the treatment pathway, and the likely cost of using it, as well as a review of relevant published evidence.

PredictSURE IBD™ is designed to predict long-term clinical outcomes when Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis are diagnosed, using a gene expression “signature” identified using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology. Intended to help gastroenterologists choice of treatment for people who have recently been diagnosed with either Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, evidence evaluated in the MIB shows that PredictSURE IBD™ can accurately show which patients are likely to have a severe relapsing disease course.

The evidence also suggests an improved disease response when treatment with tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors is started early. The MIB reports that the resource impact when using PredictSURE IBD™ could be much lower than the current standard of care if starting anti-TNF therapy early leads to disease remission and prevents disease flare ups. However, it must be noted that TNF inhibitors are not currently recommended by NICE for first-line treatment of Crohn’s disease.

Of the specialist commentators consulted, all agreed that PredictSURE IBD™ could improve information to allow clinicians to prescribe more appropriate therapy.  A spokesperson for Crohn’s and Colitis UK, thought the test could change the way patients with Crohn’s disease are treated by identifying the most effective treatment as early as possible.

Paul Kinnon, CEO, PredictImmune commented: “We are very pleased to have received such a positive MIB. Given that these briefings are referenced not only across the UK, but also further afield, it is an important milestone and further validation for us as we continue to develop personalised approaches to treatment for patients with severe, debilitating diseases. We strongly believe that helping to inform clinical decision making in the very early stages of diagnosis could vastly improve patient outcomes and quality of life.  The evidence suggests that PredictSURE IBD™ enables us to do that for those suffering from Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, which could have a major impact on treatment pathways in the future.”

For information: www.predictimmune.com