New drug for IBS-D shows promising results in phase II trial

A drug developed for the treatment of IBS with diarrhea has shown promising results

A new drug developed for the treatment of IBS-D has shown positive results in a phase II study, according to findings presented for Digestive Disease Week in the US.

Some 559 patients with IBS-D were involved in the research and treated with one, three or ten mg of ibodutant or a placebo.

Carried out over an eight-week period, the study showed the ten mg daily tablet was the most effective, particularly in female participants.  

An estimated ten per cent of adults are believed to suffer with IBS, with diarrhea forms of the disease seemingly less responsive to treatments than IBS with constipation.

Professor and director of the division of gastroenterology and internal medicine at Leuven University in Belgum, Dr Jan Tack, commented on the results.

“These are exciting findings that could bring a lot of relief to many patients,” he said. “We’re looking forward to moving into phase III to confirm our findings with a much larger sample of patients.”