New trial offers treatment hope for Crohn’s disease patients in Scotland

A new clinical trial, aimed at improving treatment options for patients with Crohn's disease, is to begin in Scotland. Led by the University of Glasgow and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) in collaboration with hospitals around Scotland, the BIOPIC Study will evaluate the use of PEN (Partial Enteral Nutrition) - in which patients replace half of their normal diet with liquid-only prepared supplements. Crohn's disease is a chronic condition which currently affects more than 115,000 people in the UK and causes inflammation of the lining of the digestive system. Symptoms can often be debilitating and can include diarrhoea, blood in stools, abdominal pain, and weight loss. Crohn's disease is incurable, though it can be managed with treatments: current options include biologic medication ("biologics") that can slow or stop damaging inflammation, or EEN (Exclusive Enteral Nutrition), a liquid-only diet consisting of prepared supplements administered over a six to eight week period. Unfortunately, no currently available treatment provides an effective solution for all patients. Prescribed medications are only effective in around 40-50% of patients, with 20% of people losing their response to drugs every year.