Kyoto University Holds Research Report Event Aiming for Understanding and Cure of Ulcerative Colitis
Kyoto University Hospital announced a breakthrough in ulcerative colitis research, discovering an autoantibody linked to the disease. They developed the world's first diagnostic kit and are progressing towards a fundamental cure rather than just remission.
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- 📰 Published: April 9, 2026 at 00:01
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April 8, 2026
To the Press
Department of Gastroenterology, Kyoto University Hospital
Ulcerative Colitis Therapeutic Drug Development Project
From Remission to 'Cure' - A New Era in Ulcerative Colitis Treatment in Sight
Kyoto University Hospital Announces Research Progress on Innovative Treatments
~Holding a Report and Exchange Event Connecting Patients, Families, and Society~
Ulcerative colitis is a disease of unknown cause in which chronic inflammation occurs in the mucous membrane of the large intestine, causing repeated symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and bloody stools. The number of patients in Japan is increasing year by year, and currently about 317,000 people are facing this disease.
In recent years, treatments have advanced significantly, making it possible to aim for 'remission' (a state where symptoms have subsided) with the advent of immunosuppressants and biologic agents. However, these are strictly symptomatic therapies that suppress symptoms, and do not lead to a 'cure' that heals the disease itself from the root. Patients are required to continue treatment for life while harboring the anxiety of a relapse.
Furthermore, the anxiety of 'not knowing when it will worsen' affects daily life, employment, and going out, bringing a significant impact not only to the individuals themselves but also to their families.
Amidst this, research approaching the 'root cause itself' of ulcerative colitis is entering a new phase.
Discovered 'Autoantibodies' Detected in Many Patients
Towards a New Pathophysiological Hypothesis Leading to a Cure
As a result of many years of research, the research group at the Department of Gastroenterology, Kyoto University Hospital, revealed in 2021 that autoantibodies against a specific protein called 'integrin αvβ6' (anti-integrin αvβ6 autoantibodies) are present in approximately 92% of patients with ulcerative colitis.
This discovery suggests that this autoantibody may play a crucial role in the onset of ulcerative colitis, shedding new light on the long-standing question of 'why it occurs'.
Based on the new pathophysiological hypothesis that this autoantibody is the very key to the disease, this research group is advancing further studies.
From Diagnosis to Treatment - A Comprehensive Approach with a Cure in Sight
This research aims for innovation from both diagnostic and therapeutic aspects.
First, in the diagnostic field, we developed the world's first diagnostic kit to measure this autoantibody. This kit was realized through joint development with Medical & Biological Laboratories Co., Ltd. (MBL), a domestic antibody diagnostic drug manufacturer, and with the support of the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED). It became available as a research reagent starting in 2022, and its use has currently begun in Europe and the United States. In Japan as well, efforts are underway aiming for regulatory approval and insurance coverage.
Furthermore, in the therapeutic field, we are advancing the development of a novel treatment that selectively targets only the specific immune cells that produce the 'anti-integrin αvβ6 autoantibody'. Through this approach, rather than suppressing the entire immune system as in the past, the realization of a more selective treatment with fewer side effects is expected.
These studies are a major step towards the realization of 'curing the disease itself, rather than continuing to rely on medicine'—in other words, a definitive cure.
To the Press
Department of Gastroenterology, Kyoto University Hospital
Ulcerative Colitis Therapeutic Drug Development Project
From Remission to 'Cure' - A New Era in Ulcerative Colitis Treatment in Sight
Kyoto University Hospital Announces Research Progress on Innovative Treatments
~Holding a Report and Exchange Event Connecting Patients, Families, and Society~
Ulcerative colitis is a disease of unknown cause in which chronic inflammation occurs in the mucous membrane of the large intestine, causing repeated symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and bloody stools. The number of patients in Japan is increasing year by year, and currently about 317,000 people are facing this disease.
In recent years, treatments have advanced significantly, making it possible to aim for 'remission' (a state where symptoms have subsided) with the advent of immunosuppressants and biologic agents. However, these are strictly symptomatic therapies that suppress symptoms, and do not lead to a 'cure' that heals the disease itself from the root. Patients are required to continue treatment for life while harboring the anxiety of a relapse.
Furthermore, the anxiety of 'not knowing when it will worsen' affects daily life, employment, and going out, bringing a significant impact not only to the individuals themselves but also to their families.
Amidst this, research approaching the 'root cause itself' of ulcerative colitis is entering a new phase.
Discovered 'Autoantibodies' Detected in Many Patients
Towards a New Pathophysiological Hypothesis Leading to a Cure
As a result of many years of research, the research group at the Department of Gastroenterology, Kyoto University Hospital, revealed in 2021 that autoantibodies against a specific protein called 'integrin αvβ6' (anti-integrin αvβ6 autoantibodies) are present in approximately 92% of patients with ulcerative colitis.
This discovery suggests that this autoantibody may play a crucial role in the onset of ulcerative colitis, shedding new light on the long-standing question of 'why it occurs'.
Based on the new pathophysiological hypothesis that this autoantibody is the very key to the disease, this research group is advancing further studies.
From Diagnosis to Treatment - A Comprehensive Approach with a Cure in Sight
This research aims for innovation from both diagnostic and therapeutic aspects.
First, in the diagnostic field, we developed the world's first diagnostic kit to measure this autoantibody. This kit was realized through joint development with Medical & Biological Laboratories Co., Ltd. (MBL), a domestic antibody diagnostic drug manufacturer, and with the support of the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED). It became available as a research reagent starting in 2022, and its use has currently begun in Europe and the United States. In Japan as well, efforts are underway aiming for regulatory approval and insurance coverage.
Furthermore, in the therapeutic field, we are advancing the development of a novel treatment that selectively targets only the specific immune cells that produce the 'anti-integrin αvβ6 autoantibody'. Through this approach, rather than suppressing the entire immune system as in the past, the realization of a more selective treatment with fewer side effects is expected.
These studies are a major step towards the realization of 'curing the disease itself, rather than continuing to rely on medicine'—in other words, a definitive cure.