---
title: >-
  The Impact of Early vs. Late Biologic Initiation Among Real World Patients
  with Crohn’s Disease in TARGET IBD.
description: >-
  Explore this publication on real-world evidence: The Impact of Early vs. Late
  Biologic Initiation Among Real World Patients with Crohn’s Disease in TARGET
  IBD..
date: '2022-01-01'
category: Publications
tags:
  - AIBD Conference
  - Poster Presentation
  - Approval / Commercialization
  - Care
  - Gastroenterology
  - IBD
  - Pharma Partner
  - Health System Partner
canonical_url: >-
  https://www.pedestalhealth.com/resources/publications/aibd-conference/the-impact-of-early-vs-late-biologic-initiation-among-real/
source: Pedestal Health
license: © 2026 Pedestal Health. All rights reserved.
slug: the-impact-of-early-vs-late-biologic-initiation-among-real
id: 3AD77oFj30Hr5hDxL6mzs7
contentType: article
---

## Challenge

Earlier biologic initiation is recommended for Crohn's disease but real-world evidence quantifying the impact of timing on hard clinical outcomes—surgery and disease progression—in a large prospective US cohort had not been established, limiting the strength of evidence for early intervention guidelines.

## Solution

The TARGET-IBD registry was used to compare rates of CD surgery and disease progression across patients stratified by time from diagnosis to biologic initiation (<1 month, 1–24 months, 2–5 years), using multivariable probit and Cox proportional hazard models funded by AbbVie.

## Impact

Establishing that later biologic initiation is associated with significantly higher rates of CD surgery and disease progression in real-world practice provides the evidence foundation for early intervention guidelines and reinforces the prescriber and payer case for AbbVie's advanced therapies in newly diagnosed CD.

### [Julie M. Crawford](/people/julie-crawford/)

### [Laura Dalfonso](/people/laura-dalfonso/)

![Laura Dalfonso, MBA — Profile Photo](https://images.ctfassets.net/h4s3ip99qawo/1EHQvEOTdVN9mIxegyhbip/0abef5a018b51d2ebbf1ea54555fe26b/laura-dalfonso.jpg)

### [Derek Gazis](/people/derek-gazis/)

![Derek Gazis, MS — Profile Photo](https://images.ctfassets.net/h4s3ip99qawo/1e4BaL8aZ7BBWMVV2cF6ev/425b52e4014543560f321fe4edd37631/derek-gazis.jpg)

### [Heather L. Morris](/people/heather-morris/)

![Heather Morris, PhD — Profile Photo](https://images.ctfassets.net/h4s3ip99qawo/16PnQ817q7tv964vhcUD5f/ce6797c32df11f022ef12ecbb9ffea49/heather-morris.jpg)