Monoclonal Antibody Treatment of Crohn's Disease

This study will examine the safety and effectiveness of an experimental drug called J695 for treating patients with Crohn's disease-a long-term recurring inflammation of the small and large intestine. This disease is currently treated with steroids, sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), 5-ASA drugs (Pentasa, Asacol), immune suppressants, antibiotics, and an antibody against TNF-alpha. Despite the number and variety of available therapies for Crohn's disease, many patients do not respond adequately to treatment or they develop severe side effects from the medicines. Therefore, new treatments must be developed. J695 is an antibody that is identical to a human antibody but chemically changed so that it can attach to and eliminate an inflammatory chemical made by the body called interleukin-12 (IL-12). Animal studies have shown that eliminating IL-12 with an antibody can prevent inflammation in the gut and can also heal inflammation that has already developed. Patients 18 years of age and older who have had Crohn's disease for at least 4 months may be eligible for this study. Candidates will be screened with a medical history and physical examination, electrocardiogram, chest X-ray, blood and urine tests, stool analysis and possibly a review of medical records. They will complete a Crohn's Disease Activity Index Questionnaire for 7 days. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups, as follows: Group 1 Patients in this group will receive an injection of either J695 or placebo (a solution that does not contain any active medicine) under the skin on day 1 of the study, on day 29, and then weekly for a total of seven injections. After the last injection, patients will be followed for an additional 18 weeks. They will be monitored periodically throughout the study with physical examinations, disease activity index scores, and blood and urine tests. Group 2 Patients in group 2 will receive an injection of J695 or placebo on day 1 of the study and then wee