Prolonged MMX® mesalazine therapy in patients with acute, mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis who fail initial mesalazine treatment may prevent a requirement for therapeutic escal…

Introduction: MMX® mesalazine (Mezavant®, Shire Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA; MMX; Cosmo Technologies Ltd, Ireland) has been observed to successfully induce remission in patients with mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis (UC) in two, phase III, placebo-controlled (parent) studies by Lichtenstein et al. (SPD476–301) and Kamm et al. (SPD476–302). Objectives: We examine the proportion of patients who did not achieve remission following up to 8 weeks' initial treatment, but who may respond to a further 8 weeks' MMX mesalazine. Methods: In the parent studies, patients were randomised to receive MMX mesalazine 2.4g/day (o…