FDA Approves New Oral Solution for Colonoscopy Preparation
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc approval to market a combination sodium picosulfate, magnesium oxide, and anhydrous citric acid oral solution (Clenpiq) for cleansing the colon in adults undergoing a colonoscopy. With availability planned in Q1 2018, the combination will be the only FDA-approved prescription colonoscopy preparation that comes “ready-to-drink.”
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Colonoscopies can help reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer and deaths associated with this disease.
“Successful bowel prep is critical for gastroenterologists to clearly see the inside of the colon during a colonoscopy. The sheer volume of a prescribed bowel prep solution can be a barrier for some patients to adequately complete their prep regimen, leading to suboptimal visualization of the colon,” said Edward Brettholz, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at New York University School of Medicine. “Having a ready-to-drink, low volume colonoscopy prep in a premixed oral solution is an excellent start to prepare patients for this important procedure to help detect and prevent colorectal cancer.”
About the Combination
The approved solution is a ready-to-drink cranberry-flavored, dual-acting combination of sodium picosulfate, a stimulant laxative, and magnesium oxide and anhydrous citric acid, which forms magnesium citrate, an osmotic laxative indicated for cleansing the colon as a preparation for colonoscopy in adults.
The content in this post has not been reviewed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. (ASCO®) and does not necessarily reflect the ideas and opinions of ASCO®.
