Geert D’Haens from Amsterdam UMC is coordinating the project together with Jean-Frederic Colombel from Mount Sinai (New York, United States). From the UMCG researchers Rinse Weersma, Arno Bourgonje, and Noortje Festen (Dept of Gastroenterology & Hepatology) and Morris Swertz (Dept of Genetics) are involved.
Approximately three million people in Europe suffer from Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), with rising cases among children and young adults. In addition to symptoms like diarrhea, stomach pain, and weight loss, patients face risks such as colon cancer, delayed growth in children, and mental health issues. Crohn’s disease, a common form of IBD, is chronic and incurable, with patients experiencing cycles of remission and flare-ups. Despite treatment advances, sustained remission remains rare, with nearly 50% requiring surgery within ten years. This condition imposes significant burdens on individuals, families, and healthcare systems.
In other diseases like type 1 diabetes, biomarkers can detect early disease stages, aiding in prediction and prevention. Emerging evidence suggests biomarkers could also identify Crohn’s disease in its preclinical phase, but these biomarkers still require validation across diverse populations.
The INTERCEPT project aims to verify and clinically validate a panel of biomarkers and build a blood risk score that can identify individuals with a high risk of developing Crohn’s disease within five years after initial evaluation. Rinse Weersma, who has a leading role within the project, explains: ‘Early onset of inflammatory bowel disease start long before patients are clinically diagnosed. First, we are going to validate a panel of biomarkers using data from the population-based biobank LifeLines in the Northern part of the Netherlands as well as other biobanks throughout Europe. In LifeLines blood samples have been collected from individuals who initially had no diagnosis of Crohn's disease at time of inclusion but developed the disease during follow-up within Lifelines. This way we can ‘look back', and identify which biomarkers are relevant. We will then construct a predictive algorithm that can serve as a fingerprint for developing Crohn's disease later in life.’
In the next phase the project will recruit 10,000 healthy first-degree relatives of individuals with Crohn’s disease from seven European countries to apply the biomarkers and predictive risk score. From this group, 80 individuals with the highest risk of developing Crohn’s disease will be invited to take part in an innovative trial aimed at preventing full-blown disease development through an established and highly effective medical treatment. This early detection and prevention method has the potential to revolutionise the way we understand and treat Crohn’s disease. It would enable healthcare professionals to diagnose the disease early on, potentially keeping it from progressing to debilitating stages. INTERCEPT is setting its sights on a future where Crohn’s disease is highly manageable or even avoidable, committing itself to improving the lives of patients and their families.
The datamanagement of this project will be led by Morris Swertz, Head of the Genomics Coordination Center in the UMCG. ‘Molecular and clinical data will be generated in multiple centres across Europe from the 10,000 first degree relatives who will also be prospectively followed during the study period. Here at the Genomic Coordination Center at the UMCG we have extensive experience with large-scale EU projects, and we look forward to work on this important study.’
This multi-million European study funded by the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (IHI JU) with a total budget of more than EUR 38 million for the next five years aims to transform Crohn’s disease from an incurable condition to one that can be effectively managed and potentially halted before it even starts, improving the quality of life for millions globally. To achieve this ambitious goal, 21 collaborative partners from Europe, North America and South Korea have joined forces. The INTERCEPT project officially kicks off its activities with a consortium meeting in Berlin, Germany, on 19 February 2025.
More information about the project: www.intercept-ihi.eu
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