New Drug Approved for Irritable...

New Drug Approved for Irritable Bowel, Chronic Constipation

THURSDAY, Aug. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Linzess (linaclotide) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat forms of chronic constipation that don't respond to traditional treatment, and irritable bowel syndrome accompanied by constipation, the agency said Thursday in a news release.

The National Institutes of Health estimates that some 63 million people are affected by chronic constipation, and about 15.3 million have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the FDA said.

Linzess is taken once daily on an empty stomach, at least 30 minutes before the first meal. The most frequently noted adverse reaction is diarrhea.

The drug's label contains a boxed warning that it shouldn't be taken by people aged 16 or younger, the FDA said.

Linzess is produced by Cambridge, Mass.-based Ironwood Pharmaceuticals.

More information

Medline Plus has more about constipation.