News Release

AGA Institute presents cutting-edge research during DDW

Advances highlight progress being made in the treatment and research of GI disorders

Peer-Reviewed Publication

American Gastroenterological Association

Chicago, IL (May 29, 2009) – Clinicians, researchers and scientists from around the world will gather for Digestive Disease Week® 2009 (DDW®), the largest and most prestigious gastroenterology meeting, from May 30 to June 4, 2009, at the McCormick Place Convention Center, Chicago, IL. DDW is the annual meeting of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute, the largest and oldest GI society in the world. AGA Institute researchers will present exciting, cutting-edge data during the meeting that will help change the way physicians diagnose and treat GI disorders.

Please note that all data presented during DDW is embargoed until the beginning of the presentation or an official DDW press conference, whichever occurs first. Go to www.ddw.org for a list of press conferences.

Late-Breaking Session

On Tuesday, June 2 from 2:15 - 3:45 p.m. CDT, Room E451B, the AGA Institute will feature its late-breaking clinical abstracts, which include exciting data on:

  • OPT-80 versus vancomycin in Clostridium difficile infection: Results of a randomized clinical trial. M. Miller et al. (2:15 p.m.)
  • Phase II Efficacy of Human Monoclonal Antibody Treatment to prevent C. difficile Recurrence. I. Lowy et al. (2:30 p.m.)*
  • Effectiveness of the Third Eye Retroscope for Detecting Polyps in the Right Colon. J.D. Waye et al. (2:45 p.m.)
  • SVR Results of PROVE3, a Phase 2b Clinical Trial Assessing Safety and Efficacy of Telaprevir in Hepatitis C Genotype-1-Infected Patients with Prior Non-response, Viral Breakthrough or Relapse to Peginterferon-Alfa-2a/b and Ribavirin Therapy. A.M. Di Bisceglie et al. (3:00 p.m.)*
  • Adalimumab Induces and Maintains Mucosal Healing in Patients With Moderate to Severe Ileocolonic Crohn's Disease – First Results of the EXTEND Trial. P. Rutgeerts, et al. (3:15 p.m.)
  • One Year Data from the SONIC Study: A Randomized, Double-Blind Trial Comparing Infliximab and Infliximab plus Azathioprine to Azathioprine in Patients with Crohn's Disease Naive to Immunomodulators and Biologic Therapy. W.J. Sandborn et al. (3:30 p.m.)*

* This study is being highlighted during a DDW press conference on Tuesday, June 2 at 9 a.m. CDT. Press conferences will be held in room N427A of the McCormick Place Convention Center.

Noting the importance of the studies in the late-breaking session, co-moderator Philip S. Schoenfeld, MD, MSEd, MSc (Epi), said, "These treatments will become the standard of care for their patients in the near future."

One abstract will present the results of a trial that re-treated hepatitis C patients who had previously failed treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin (patients received treatment with telaprevir combined with pegylated interferon and ribavirin).

Another abstract will present the results of the SONIC trial, which assessed whether adding azathioprine to infliximab in the treatment of Crohn's disease improved outcomes. "This is a very important study because people did not know if we should be combining azathioprine with infliximab. Now, we have data to guide this decision," Dr. Schoenfeld added.

Plenary Session

During the AGA Institute Presidential Plenary Session, AGA Institute President, Robert S. Sandler, MD, MPH, AGAF, will focus on critical questions for gastroenterology. Two concurrent plenary sessions feature noteworthy clinical and basic science research presented at DDW.

The Presidential Plenary session presentations (Monday, June 1, 10 a.m. - noon CDT, Room B1) include:

  • Which Basic Science Breakthroughs of Today Will Impact Patient Care of the Future? D. Brenner (10:05 a.m.)
  • Can We Do a Better Job Preventing Colon Cancer? D. Rex (10:15 a.m.)
  • Quality Assessment and Pay-for-Performance: Will Gastroenterologists Take Home a "Report Card"? J. Allen (10:25 a.m.)
  • Endoscopic Ablation in Barrett's: Who Needs It and What Weapon? N. Shaheen (10:35 a.m.)
  • What is the Role of the Gastroenterologist in Treating Liver Cancer? N. Terrault (10:45 a.m.)
  • How Will We Train the Gastroenterologist of the Future? L. Friedman (10:55 a.m.)
  • How Do We Balance the Risks, Benefits and Costs of Various Treatment Strategies for IBD? W. Sandborn (11:05 a.m.)
  • NOTES: Is the Future of Endoscopy in the Lumen or the Peritoneum? A. Kalloo (11:15 a.m.)
  • Presidential Address: How Will We Address the Crucial Questions Facing our Field? R. Sandler (11:25 a.m.)

The Clinical Plenary session presentations (Monday, June 1, 8 - 10 a.m. CDT, Room B1) include:

  • Thiopurine therapy is associated with a three-fold decrease in the incidence of advanced colorectal neoplasia in IBD patients with longstanding extensive colitis: results from the CESAME cohort. L. Beaugerie et al. (8:05 a.m.)
  • Aspirin Use and Survival After Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer. A. T. Chan et al. (8:20 a.m.)
  • First Randomised Trial on the Risk of Colorectal Cancer after Flexible Sigmoidoscopy Screening. G. Hoff et al. (8:35 a.m.)
  • Colorectal Cancer Despite Colonoscopy: Critical is the Endoscopist, Not the Withdrawal Time. R. Gupta et al. (8:50 a.m.)
  • Quality and Effectiveness of Endoscopic Colorectal Cancer Screening. L. Rabeneck et al. (9:05 a.m.)

The Basic Science Plenary session presentations (Monday, June 1, 8 - 10 a.m. CDT, Room S406A) include:

  • ADAM10 is Required for Cell Lineage Specification of the Intestinal Epithelium. K. L. VanDussen et al. (8:05 a.m.)
  • Genetic ablation of the Notch signaling promotes TGF-β-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition involving posttranscriptional regulation of ZEB1 and ZEB2 by microRNA-200 family members. S. Ohashi et al. (8:22 a.m.)
  • Microbial-innate Immune Interactions at the Epithelial Cell Interface. D. Polk (8:39 a.m.)
  • Changes in Mucosal Homeostasis Leading to Hypersensitivity to Mucosal Injury in NHE3 Knockout Mice. D. Laubitz et al. (9:04 a.m.)
  • Colitis-associated variant of TLR2 causes impaired mucosal repair due to TFF3 deficiency. A. Eyking et al. (9:21 a.m.)

Other exciting data will be presented during DDW, including 34 clinical symposia, 16 translational symposia, 12 research symposia and five state-of-the-art lectures on a range of GI topics. Additionally, the AGA Institute will sponsor six focused research roundtables and 13 focused clinical updates — breakfast sessions designed to help participants choose the must-see basic science and clinical research abstracts presented during DDW — throughout the meeting.

ROME Foundation AGA Institute Lectureship

Juan R. Malagelada, MD, president of United European Gastroenterology Federation (UEGF) — the premier gastroenterology congress in Europe — will address functional GI disorders during Tuesday's second-annual Rome Foundation-AGA Institute Lecture (10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Room E450B). His talk, Motility Assessments for Functional GI Disorders: How Far Does It Get Us?, will focus on whether functional disorders truly represent disturbed gut function and whether gut motility assessment by current technologies is potentially useful in a clinical setting.

"Dr. Malagelada has a robust global expertise in functional GI, having been an editor for Gastroenterology, a member of the Rome Committees and president of UEGF. We expect his insights will prove valuable to both the U.S. and international attendees at DDW," said Rome Foundation President, Douglas Drossman, MD.

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About the AGA Institute

The AGA is dedicated to the mission of advancing the science and practice of gastroenterology. Founded in 1897, the AGA is one of the oldest medical-specialty societies in the U.S. The AGA's more than 17,000 members include physicians and scientists who research, diagnose and treat disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and liver. For more information, visit www.gastro.org.

About DDW

DDW is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Jointly sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, the AGA Institute, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, DDW takes place May 30 - June 4, 2009, at the McCormick Place Convention Center. The meeting showcases approximately 5,000 abstracts and hundreds of lectures on the latest advances in GI research, medicine and technology. For more information, visit www.ddw.org.


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