Astellas And Ironwood Report Positive Results From Phase III Linaclotide Trial

(RTTNews) - Astellas Pharma Inc. and Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IRWD) announced top-line results indicating that the Phase III clinical trial of linaclotide conducted in Japan in adults with chronic constipation or CC met its primary endpoint.

Linaclotide is approved in Japan as the first prescription treatment for adults with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C). Linaclotide is currently approved in the United States for the treatment of adults with IBS-C or chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC). It is also approved for adults with IBS-C or CIC in more than 30 other countries. Patients in the Phase III CC trial in Japan continue to receive open-label linaclotide for an additional 52 weeks; the blinded efficacy data coupled with these open-label safety data are expected to form the basis for regulatory review and potential approval for this indication in Japan.

The double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III clinical trial randomized 186 adults with CC in Japan to receive either 500 mcg of linaclotide or placebo for 4 weeks (1:1 ratio). The top-line trial results indicate that linaclotide-treated patients showed statistically significant improvement compared to placebo-treated patients for the primary endpoint, change from baseline in mean spontaneous bowel movement frequency at Week 1. The most common adverse event reported in this trial was diarrhea. All cases of diarrhea were characterized as mild or moderate in severity.

LINZESS is contraindicated in patients less than 6 years of age. In nonclinical studies in neonatal mice, administration of a single, clinically relevant adult oral dose of linaclotide caused deaths due to dehydration. Use of LINZESS should be avoided in patients 6 years to less than 18 years of age. The safety and effectiveness of LINZESS has not been established in patients less than 18 years of age, the company said.