Program Description
Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) experience a substantial clinical and economic toll, with frequent hospital admissions and medication use contributing to high direct and indirect costs. Standard therapy options are numerous but often fail to achieve durable remission. Because of this, treatment decisions around step-up vs top-down strategies, risk stratification, and long-term monitoring remain complex. A new class of therapy targeting TNF-like ligand 1A (TL1A) is emerging from phase 3 trials in patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease. These agents offer a mechanism of action distinct from that of currently approved biologics; TL1A drives mucosal inflammation and intestinal fibrosis, and inhibiting it may address disease pathways that current treatments leave unresolved. As these therapies move toward market entry, managed care professionals and pharmacists must consider their available evidence when determining formulary placement, utilization management, and access. These decisions hinge on understanding the clinical evidence and the cost implications associated with these emerging medications. With regulatory decisions soon to come, managed care pharmacists must be familiar with the clinical and economic burden of IBD to make evidence-based utilization management decisions about TL1A inhibitors. This session will focus on the mechanism of action of TL1A inhibition and how these emerging agents may fit into treatment algorithms relative to conventional IBD therapies.
Target audience: Managed Care Pharmacists
Type of activity: Application
Release date: November 4, 2026
Expiration date: January 3, 2027
Time to complete activity: 1.5 hours
Learner level: Foundational, Intermediate
Fee: Free
Educational Objectives
At the completion of this activity, pharmacists will be able to:
- Differentiate ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease as well as the STRIDE-II treatment targets for each
- Explain how the mechanism of action of TL1A inhibitors addresses unmet needs with current therapies
- Identify the clinical and economic burden of inflammatory bowel disease and strategies to optimize resource utilization
Accreditation Information
Pharmacy Times Continuing Education™ is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. This application-based activity is approved for 1.5 contact hours (0.15 CEU) under the ACPE universal activity number 0290-0000-26-308-L01-P. The activity is available for CE credit through January 3, 2027.
Obtaining Credit
All participants who attended the live virtual broadcast need to log on to their Pharmacy Times Continuing Education™ account on www.pharmacytimes.org to complete an online evaluation form and request their credit. Instructions on receiving credit will be provided the day of the event.
Instructions for Completing the Activity and Receiving CPE Credit
To receive CPE credit, participants must complete the pretest, review the activity in its entirety, complete the posttest, and complete the online activity evaluation. After successful completion of the online activity evaluation, you can submit your credit to CPE Monitor. You may view your credit within 48 hours at www.mycpemonitor.net. All participants must request credit before the activity expiration date. CE credit will not be issued after this date.
Disclosures
Casey Koch, PharmD, MBA, has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose.
The staff of Pharmacy Times Continuing Education™ have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.
All of the relevant financial relationships listed for these individuals have been mitigated.
At least 1 anonymous peer reviewer has been used as part of content validation and conflict resolution. The peer reviewer has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose.
Educational Disclaimer
CPE activities are offered solely for educational purposes and do not constitute any form of professional advice or referral. Discussions concerning drugs, dosages, and procedures may reflect the clinical experience of the author(s) or they may be derived from the professional literature or other sources and may suggest uses that are investigational in nature and not approved labeling or indications. Participants are encouraged to refer to primary references or full prescribing information resources.
For questions about this internet CPE activity, please contact:
[email protected]
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