Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Gastroenterology
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of conditions where the body’s own immune system attacks parts of the digestive tract. IBD is a chronic disease that affects more than 6 million people worldwide1.
The two main types of IBD are Crohn’s disease (CD), which can occur anywhere along the digestive tract, and ulcerative colitis (UC), which is limited to the large intestine and rectum. Whilst symptoms may vary, patients usually report abdominal pain, fever, diarrhoea, blood in stool and weight loss.
Chiesi Australia has partnered with the specialty pharmaceutical company - Tillotts Pharma to provide Australians with access to treatments for IBD.
References
- GBD 2017 Inflammation Bowel Disease (v0.1) The global, regional, and national burden of inflammatory bowel disease in 195 countries and territories, 1990-2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2020 5(1):17-30.
Hepatology
Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a rare liver disease that is caused by an autoimmune reaction, which results in the damage of bile ducts in the liver. Bile ducts are tube-like structures responsible for the transport of bile from the liver to the intestine. The transfer of bile to the intestine is important to help with the digestion of food.
When bile is not able to be transported through the bile ducts, it collects in the liver and causes damage.
PBC is progressive, which means that the damage gets worse over time and in some cases can lead to liver failure.
Chiesi Australia in partnership with Intercept Pharmaceuticals, are focused on providing treatment options for Australian patients diagnosed with PBC.
