Now that Zelnorm has been pulled from the market, are there any new IBS drugs on the way?
” I don’t know for sure that this is actually the case, but it seems to me that the number of new drugs in the pipeline for IBS has slowed over the past few years. Whether this is because the serious problems the first two IBS drugs (Lotronex and Zelnorm) have had has discouraged or delayed new research, or if it’s just a coincidence, I’m really not sure. One thing that does seem clear is that there is no blockbuster drug for all IBS symptoms coming any time soon. Cilansetron (brand name Calmactin), an IBS-diarrhea drug widely anticipated for release in 2005, has instead been withdrawn from consideration of USA approval. The drug was withdrawn after receiving a “not approvable” action letter from the FDA requesting additional clinical trials. No information about future trials of the drug is available. The pharmaceutical company has stated that, “Given the amount of clinical work requested and in the framework of the estimated potential market there, Solvay prefers to give priority to
