The following information is obtained from various newswires, published medical journal articles, and medical conference presentations. Ulcerative proctitis is a less severe form of ulcerative colitis - a disease that causes inflammation and sores, called ulcers, in the top layers of the lining of the large intestine.
Ulcerative proctitis differs from ulcerative colitis in terms of where the inflammation occurs.
In ulcerative proctitis, inflammation is only present in the rectum, and the upper limit of inflammation is visible via standard sigmoidoscope. In ulcerative colitis, inflammation usually occurs in the rectum and lower part of the colon, but it may affect the entire colon. In August 1999, the FDA requested that Axcan sell Canasa in the United States under a temporary, emergency measure due to the lack of any other source of supply. Subsequently, Axcan performed preclinical and clinical studies and filed an NDA on April 28, 2000. The manner in which mesalamine provides a therapeutic effect for ulcerative proctitis is currently unknown.