New drug aims to stop pouchitis before it starts

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Male or female aged ≥ 18 years (verified at screening) * Ability to provide written informed consent and to be compliant with protocol assessments (verified at screening) * Diagnosed with UC and underwent TPC with IPAA for medically refractory disease or dysplasia (verified at screening) * Screening may take place at any time from one month to two years after the final surgical stage * High-risk of developing acute pouchitis - defined as fulfilling at least one of the criteria defined in section 2 (verified at screening) * Patients with 1 prior episode of acute pouchitis can be enrolled - after a minimum period of 4 weeks after completion of a course of antibiotics and resolution of symptoms of pouchitis * Symptomatic remission defined by a symptom mPDAI subscore ≤2 points at the baseline visit (verified at screening, baseline) * Adequate hematological function defined by white blood cell count ≥ 3.5 × 109/L with absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1.5 × 109/L, absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) ≥ 0.8 × 109/L, platelet count ≥ 100 × 109/L, and hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL (verified at screening) * Healthcare professional-confirmed history of varicella or a full course of vaccination against varicella zoster virus (VZV) or a positive antibody test to VZV (verified at screening) * 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) that showed no clinically significant abnormalities as defined by the clinician's judgement (verified at screening) * Females must be non-pregnant, as determined by qualitative urine hCG testing, non-lactating, and if premenopausal, must agree to using a highly effective contraception method (that can achieve a failure rate of less than 1% per year when used consistently and correctly) during treatment and for one week after stopping treatment with etrasimod (verified at screening) Exclusion Criteria: * Isolated cuffitis (verified at screening pouchoscopy) * Diagnosis of Crohn's disease (verified at screening) * Diagnosis of Crohn's disease-like pouch inflammation (verified at screening) o Crohn's disease-like pouch inflammation is defined as ulcerations of the pre-pouch ileum extending \> 10 cm above the inlet, strictures in the pre-pouch ileum or pouch body outside of the anastomoses, and/or fistulae of the pre-pouch ileum, pouch body, or perineum * Diagnosis of chronic pouchitis (verified at screening) o Chronic pouchitis is defined as persistent (\> 4 weeks) or recurrent (\> 4 episodes/year) symptoms of pouchitis * Anastomotic stenosis or other mechanical complications of the pouch (verified at screening pouchoscopy) * Treatment with probiotics ≤ 3 months prior to screening (verified at screening) * Treatment with topical rectal 5-ASA, or steroids ≤ 2 weeks prior to or during screening (verified at screening) * Any use of a biologic or small molecule approved for moderately to severely active UC or investigational, after TPC with IPAA (verified at screening) * Any prior exposure to a S1P receptor modulator therapy, at any time (verified at screening) * Any investigational or biologic agent within 30 days of screening pouchoscopy (verified at screening) * Have the following cardiovascular history (verified at screening): * In the last 6 months, have experienced a myocardial infarction, unstable angina pectoris, stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), decompensated heart failure requiring hospitalization, or Class III or IV heart failure * Have a history or presence of Mobitz type II second-degree or third-degree atrioventricular (AV) block, sick sinus syndrome, or sino-atrial block, unless the patient has a functioning pacemaker * A history of symptomatic bradycardia, recurrent cardiogenic syncope, Mobitz type I second-degree AV block, or severe untreated sleep apnea * Significant QT prolongation (QTcF interval ≥ 450 ms in male or ≥ 470 ms in females) * Arrhythmias requiring treatment with Class Ia or Class III anti-arrhythmic drugs or QT prolonging drugs * Clinically significant or serious active infection ≤ 28 days prior to baseline - including but not limited to (verified at screening): * Positive assay or stool culture for pathogens (ova and parasite examination, bacteria) or * positive test for Clostridioides difficile toxin at screening * Active tuberculosis * Acute or chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C * HIV infection * Pregnancy, lactation, or a positive urine pregnancy test measured during screening * Severe hepatic impairment (Child Pugh Class C) (verified at screening) * Have a known history of macular edema or retinopathy (verified at screening) * History of cancer within the last 5 years (excluding in situ squamous or basal cell carcinoma of the skin that has been excised and resolved) or current malignancy (verified at screening) * History of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) * Have a history of any clinically significant medical condition that, in the investigator's opinion, precludes participation in the study (verified at screening)