STAT+: Johnson & Johnson advances IBD therapy, despite trial miss

STAT PlusBiotech Johnson & Johnson advances IBD therapy, despite trial miss The drugmaker plans to focus on a subgroup of patients in late-stage testing Manage alerts for this article Email this article Share this article By Allison DeAngelisMay 5, 2026 Biotech Startups and Venture Capital Reporter Allison DeAngelis[email protected]Allison DeAngelis is the East Coast biotech and venture capital reporter at STAT, reporting where scientific ideas and money meet. She is also co-host of the weekly biotech podcast, The Readout Loud. You can reach Allison on Signal at AllisonDeAngelis.01. A closely watched therapy developed by Johnson & Johnson failed to show a statistically meaningful improvement for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. But the company plans to advance the drug into late-stage testing, focusing on a growing subgroup of patients. On Tuesday, trial investigators presented the results of Johnson & Johnson’s DUET study, testing how well combining the drugs Tremfya and Simponi would stop the immune system from mistakenly attacking healthy tissues in the digestive tract. It’s a follow-up to a 2022 clinical trial that showed a significant benefit to patients, nearly doubling the rates of disease remission and spurring several companies to start developing combination approaches for IBD. Advertisement Johnson & Johnson tested its combined therapy, dubbed JNJ-4804, in two Phase 2b clinical trials hitting both major forms of inflammatory bowel disease — ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. In each trial, the combination therapy performed better than the individual drugs, but did not meet the primary endpoint of clinical remission. STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account? Log in This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers Unlock this article — plus daily coverage and analysis of the biotech sector — by subscribing to STAT+. Already have an account? Log in Monthly $39 Totals $468 per year $39/month Get Started Totals $468 per year Starter $30 for 3 months, then $399/year $30 for 3 months Get Started Then $399/year Annual $399 Save 15% $399/year Get Started Save 15% 11+ Users Custom Savings start at 25%! Request A Quote Request A Quote Savings start at 25%! 2-10 Users $300 Annually per user $300/year Get Started $300 Annually per user View All Plans To read the rest of this story subscribe to STAT+. Subscribe Log In biotechnology, chronic disease, drug development, Pharmaceuticals, STAT+ Submit a correction requestReprints Allison DeAngelis Biotech Startups and Venture Capital Reporter Allison DeAngelis is the East Coast biotech and venture capital reporter at STAT, reporting where scientific ideas and money meet. She is also co-host of the weekly biotech podcast, The Readout Loud. You can reach Allison on Signal at AllisonDeAngelis.01. Newsletter Your morning rundown of the science, politics, and money driving biotech today Recommended The Readout May 4, 2026 UCB to acquire maker of antibody treatments for autoimmune diseases Exclusive May 4, 2026 STAT Plus: Biotech raises $42 million to run Huntington’s disease trial Advertisement The Readout May 1, 2026 STAT Plus: Axsome wins FDA nod for Alzheimer’s agitation Biotech May 1, 2026 STAT Plus: Her daughter Mila got a bespoke medicine. Now she’s starting a new biotech to make more Matt's Take April 30, 2026 Remembering J. Craig Venter: a relentless scientist who changed biotech — and was all too easily misunderstood Subscriber Picks