Introduction

IBD – Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis – are systemic, disabling, and incurable conditions that affect 300,000 people in France and 10 million worldwide. Currently, only 1 in 5 patients achieves remission with available treatments. Each year, 8,000 new cases are diagnosed in France, which equates to 1 patient every hour.

With the sharp rise in the disease’s prevalence, it is crucial to clearly identify both the causes and the potential curative treatments. One of the most pressing challenges is to reduce the time to diagnosis in order to prevent severe consequences for patients, such as frequent hospitalizations and irreversible intestinal damage.

IBD is characterized by inflammation of the lining of part of the digestive tract, linked to hyperactivity of the digestive immune system. In addition to digestive symptoms, these systemic diseases can also cause joint pain, as well as skin or eye problems. As they can affect organs beyond the intestine, they require comprehensive and multidisciplinary care.

These diseases progress through unpredictable flare-ups of varying intensity, interspersed with periods of remission. The psychological, social, and professional impact on patients and their families is considerable.

With treatments costing around €15,000 per patient, these diseases also represent a significant financial burden for healthcare systems. In France, costs have steadily risen by €400 million over six years, reaching €1.2 billion (source: Assurance Maladie). At the European level, direct costs are estimated between €4.6 and €5.6 billion annually (€9.1 billion worldwide), with substantial indirect costs to society, including absenteeism and reduced productivity.

Given the urgency of this public health issue, a global response is essential. This is the mission of the IHU Infiny, which unites researchers, healthcare professionals, caregivers, and companies to develop a multidisciplinary approach to these chronic diseases.