INTERCEPT at ECCO 2026: Contributing to the Evolving IBD Prevention Agenda

INTERCEPT was actively represented at ECCO 2026, where the international inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) community gathered to discuss advances in research, clinical care and prevention. Throughout the congress, INTERCEPT partners contributed to scientific sessions and engaged with colleagues across disciplines, reinforcing the growing focus on earlier intervention in Crohn’s disease.

Presentations delivered by consortium partners addressed topics closely aligned with the project’s objectives, including early disease mechanisms, risk stratification and data-driven prediction approaches. While these contributions formed part of the broader ECCO 2026 scientific programme, they reflected the same shift shaping INTERCEPT: moving from reactive treatment toward earlier than early identification in the pre-clinical phase and with it potential prevention.

INTERCEPT builds upon the expertise of its partners who have been active in the IBD field for decades. Their longstanding scientific leadership has positioned the project naturally within discussions on how to better understand and anticipate Crohn’s disease development and IBD overall.

On the exhibition floor, partners also shared information about INTERCEPT and the PREDICT-CD study, which will recruit 10,000 healthy first-degree relatives (FDRs) of individuals with Crohn’s disease across Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden. By analysing blood serum samples, researchers aim to further validate a panel of biomarkers and a risk score designed to identify individuals at high risk of developing Crohn’s disease in the pre-clinical stage of the disease.

Across ECCO 2026, prevention emerged as a central theme in global IBD research. INTERCEPT contributes to this wider effort by integrating clinical, biological and predictive research within a coordinated European, and international, framework. Its presence at ECCO ensured the project remains connected to the evolving international agenda on inflammatory bowel disease prevention and care.

Learn more about INTERCEPT and follow our progress as we work with the global IBD community to advance prevention in Crohn’s disease.