Abstract
Chronic constipation and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with constipation affect patient quality of life and are associated with a high healthcare expenditure. Conventional therapies for chronic constipation have limited effectiveness. New-generation, selective 5-HT4 receptor agonists are effective for chronic constipation, but none are currently approved in the U.S.; prucalopride is approved for the treatment of chronic constipation in Europe. The 5-HT4 receptor agonist velusetrag is being developed for chronic constipation and IBS with constipation; it has high selectivity and affinity for the 5-HT4 receptor. Velusetrag accelerates colonic transit in a dose-related manner, with a dose of 30 mg daily being the most effective over 9 days of treatment in healthy controls. In patients with chronic constipation, velusetrag increased spontaneous bowel movements after 4 weeks of therapy, with no serious cardiac events reported. Velusetrag has shown great promise, and further studies in chronic constipation and IBS with constipation are warranted.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 447-454 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Drugs of the Future |
Volume | 36 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 2011 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pharmacology
- Pharmacology (medical)