Therapeutic drug monitoring in inflammatory bowel disease: recent developments

INTRODUCTION: Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) has an important role in the management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients on infliximab (IFX) or adalimumab and is recommended in IBD patients presenting a loss of response under anti TNF agent. But, TDM was not recommended for others biotherapies. AREAS COVERED: Analyzing all publications about TDM and biologics in IBD patients, we reported the major results for each biotherapy. EXPERT OPINION: Emerging data suggest that TDM will probably be similarly useful forIFX SC. In contrast, there is no demonstrated clinical benefit to the use of TDM with golimumab. For vedolizumab results for the use of both reactive and proactive TDM are discordant. For ustekinumab, data supports the existence of an exposure response relationship, albeit of a lesser magnitude than with anti-TNF agents. Finally, recent data from small case series suggests that TDM could be valuable in optimizing anti-IL23 agents, particularly risankizumab, but this requires further clarification. Consistent with the new concept of 'proactive' strategy, recent data support the utility of dashboard-driven model informed precision dosing (MIDP) of anti-TNF agents, in particular infliximab. Dashboards are software systems using Bayesian population pharmacokinetic modelling to individualize recommendations for target drug levels.