hydroxychloroquine + mesalamine

Hydroxychloroquine + mesalamine is a combination therapy being investigated for the treatment of active mild to severe ulcerative colitis, particularly in patients of non-European ancestry such as African Americans and Hispanics. Hydroxychloroquine, a small molecule traditionally used for malaria and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, is hypothesized to act as an immunomodulator in this context by increasing the expression of CTLA-4 on regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+CD127- Tregs), thereby enhancing their ability to suppress mucosal inflammation. Mesalamine (5-aminosalicylic acid) is a standard-of-care anti-inflammatory agent that acts locally in the colon, primarily as a PPAR-gamma agonist. This combination is being evaluated in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial led by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai to determine if the addition of hydroxychloroquine can induce clinical and histologic remission in patients who have had an inadequate response to mesalamine monotherapy.

Brand names

Plaquenil

Other names

HCQ + mesalaminehydroxychloroquine sulfate + 5-aminosalicylic acid