Sept 13 (Reuters) - Spanish drug firm Almirall and its partner Ironwood Pharmaceuticals Inc said their experimental drug to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with constipation met the main goal of a late-stage European trial.
The companies said their drug linaclotide showed statistical significance and clinically relevant improvement for linaclotide-treated patients both for abdominal pain or abdominal discomfort responder over the three-month period.
The drug also showed significant improvement in all pre-specified main secondary endpoints.
Ironwood, which is co-developing the drug with Forest Laboratories Inc in the United States, said the drug also met the main goals of a U.S. late-stage trial.
Ironwood has out-licensed linaclotide to Almirall for European development and marketing.
Ironwood shares, which have lost 16 percent since the company launched its IPO in February, were up 13 percent at $11 in after-market trade on Nasdaq.
(Reporting by Anand Basu in Bangalore; Editing by Prem Udayabhanu) Keywords: IRONWOOD/ (anand.basu@thomsonreuters.com; within U.S. +1 646 223 8780; outside U.S. +91 80 4135 5800; Reuters Messaging:anand.basu.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
The companies said their drug linaclotide showed statistical significance and clinically relevant improvement for linaclotide-treated patients both for abdominal pain or abdominal discomfort responder over the three-month period.
The drug also showed significant improvement in all pre-specified main secondary endpoints.
Ironwood, which is co-developing the drug with Forest Laboratories Inc in the United States, said the drug also met the main goals of a U.S. late-stage trial.
Ironwood has out-licensed linaclotide to Almirall for European development and marketing.
Ironwood shares, which have lost 16 percent since the company launched its IPO in February, were up 13 percent at $11 in after-market trade on Nasdaq.
(Reporting by Anand Basu in Bangalore; Editing by Prem Udayabhanu) Keywords: IRONWOOD/ (anand.basu@thomsonreuters.com; within U.S. +1 646 223 8780; outside U.S. +91 80 4135 5800; Reuters Messaging:anand.basu.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.