People living with irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) have a new treatment option with Viberzi, a prescription-based oral treatment recently made available by Allergen, a Dublin, Ireland-based pharmaceutical company.
"We are excited about the launch of Viberzi, which addresses an unmet need among IBS-D patients seeking a treatment to manage their symptoms proactively," William Meury, president of Branded Pharma at Allergan, said. "This introduction reaffirms Allergan's commitment to providing a new treatment option that serves to help gastroenterologists reach better outcomes for their patients."
Viberzi has been the subject of two clinical trials and was proven to provide relief in IBS-D patients. A review of the medication conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) was completed Nov. 12.
The drug has mixed opioid receptor activity, and the DEA classified Viberzi as a schedule IV controlled substance, meaning the potential for abuse or dependence is low.
An estimated 15 million Americans suffer from IBS-D, a bowel disorder that causes severe abdominal pain and chronic diarrhea. The cause of the condition is unknown.
Although there are many prescription treatments that treat one of the symptoms or the other, Viberzi is one of very few that treat both the pain and the diarrhea caused by IBS-D.
