Ulcerative colitis (UC)
Treatment options

For adults with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UC) in whom TNF blockers did not work well

Learn more about different UC treatment options

There are many treatment options for UC. If your symptoms keep coming back or won’t go away, it could mean your current treatment isn’t working. There’s no “one size fits all” solution to treating UC. There are many medications currently available, so be sure to discuss the risks and benefits of any treatment with your gastroenterologist.

Some UC treatment options include:

Conventional therapies

  • Aminosalicylates (5-ASAs) ?

Aminosalicylates — Drugs that contain 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) and decrease inflammation.

  • Corticosteroids ?

Corticosteroids — Steroids can help reduce inflammation in your body, and can sometimes be used for short-term symptom improvement.

Advanced therapies

  • Immune modifiers (Immunomodulators) ?
  • Biologics, such as ?

Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) blockers

Interleukin receptor blockers

Integrin receptor blocker

Immune modifiers (Immunomodulators) — Medications that modify the body’s immune system activity to stop it from causing ongoing inflammation.

Biologics — Biologics are substances made from living organisms or their products and given by infusion or injection for the prevention or treatment of various diseases. Biologics are also called biologic agents.

Small molecules — A drug that can be taken by mouth as it can be absorbed into the bloodstream. Many medications that interact with specific components in your body are small molecules.

Understanding advanced therapies

Advanced therapies are used after conventional therapies. One type of advanced therapy, JAK inhibitors, is prescribed after TNF blockers.

There have been many advances in UC treatment in recent years, with treatment options that work in different ways. Here are some UC treatment options to consider when preparing to speak to your gastroenterologist.

This is a non-exhaustive list of prescription medications used to treat ulcerative colitis. This information is accurate as of February 2025.

JAK inhibitors

How they work: Block JAK proteins, which are involved in inflammation.

RINVOQ® (upadacitinib)

START

1 pill every day*

CONTINUE

1 pill every day

Who is RINVOQ for?

APPROVED USE

RINVOQ is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis when 1 or more medicines called tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers have been used, and did not work well or could not be tolerated.

XELJANZ®/ XELJANZ® XR (tofacitinib)

START

1 or 2 pills every day*

CONTINUE

1 or 2 pills every day*

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers

How they work: Block an inflammatory protein called TNF.

HUMIRA® (adalimumab)‎

START

Injections at days 1 and 15

CONTINUE

Injection at every 2 weeks

REMICADE® (infliximab)‎

START

Infusion at weeks 0, 2, and 6

CONTINUE

Infusion every 8 weeks

Interleukin receptor blockers

How they work: Block targeted inflammatory interleukin proteins.

IL-12 and IL-23 receptor blocker:

STELARA® (ustekinumab)‎

START

Infusion at week 0

CONTINUE

Injections every 8 weeks

IL-23 receptor blockers:

OMVOH® (mirikizumab-mrkz)

START

Infusions at weeks 0, 4, and 8, and 2 injections at week 12

CONTINUE

Injections every 4 weeks

SKYRIZI® (risankizumab-rzaa)

START

Infusions at weeks 0, 4, and 8

CONTINUE

Injections every 8 weeks

Please see the Full Prescribing Information, including the Medication Guide, for SKYRIZI.

TREMFYA® (guselkumab)

START

Infusions at weeks 0, 4, and 8

CONTINUE

Injections every 4 or 8 weeks

Integrin receptor blocker

How it works: Targets α4β7 integrin, blocking a type of inflammation and preventing white blood cells from entering the gut.

ENTYVIO® (vedolizumab)‎

START

Infusions at weeks 0, 2, and 6

or

Infusions at weeks 0 and 2 and Injection at week 6

CONTINUE

Infusions every 8 weeks

or

Injections every 2 weeks

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulators

How they work: Target a specific part of immune cells called an S1P receptor, which is thought to play a role in UC inflammation.

ZEPOSIA® (ozanimod)

START

1 pill every day*

CONTINUE

1 pill every day

VELSIPITY® (etrasimod)

START

1 pill every day

CONTINUE

1 pill every day

*Dosing may vary at your prescriber’s discretion based on your needs and reactions.

This presentation is not intended to compare the safety, efficacy, or uses of these treatments. Please refer to each product’s full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for additional information.

Talk with your gastroenterologist about the risks and benefits of your treatment options. These medications should be used under the supervision of a healthcare professional. Always tell your doctor about any side effects you may be experiencing.

RINVOQ, HUMIRA, and SKYRIZI are trademarks of AbbVie Biotechnology Ltd. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

subcutaneous injection

= subcutaneous injection

IV infusion

= IV infusion

Time for a change in your treatment plan?

Deciding to change your treatment plan is never easy, but neither is living with UC symptoms.

Take charge: More topics for you

Partner up with your gastroenterologist

Ask your gastroenterologist if your current treatment is helping you to achieve your goals.

Learn about treatment goals

Focus on long-term goals such as steroid-free remission and visible colon lining repair—and what these could mean for you.