LAS VEGAS — More patients with an inflammatory disease of the bowels responded to a drug used for autoimmune disorders than those taking a placebo, according to results of a late-stage clinical trial announced Monday.

Johnson & Johnson said phase-3 trial findings showed that "significantly" more patients with severely active ulcerative colitis responded to Simponi (golimumab), maintaining their responsiveness to the drug through the 54th week. The drug is already approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.

The study program enrolled 1,228 patients who received induction therapy with injections of Simponi or placebo. The study indicated that 47% of patients receiving 50 mg of Simponi and 51% of those receiving 100 mg of the drug responded to therapy, compared with 31% of those receiving placebo.

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