New treatment in development for irritable bowel syndrome with constipation

Patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) have long needed an upgrade in treatment. Rapid-release, cramp-inducing doses of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDC) have previously shown promise in treating constipation, but further development has been hampered by the abdominal pain associated with the sudden release of CDC. Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) devised a plan to deliver CDC in a bilayered capsule, finding that this mode of delivery could decrease colon cramping and thus produce a better patient experience. In preclinical studies, the team found evidence that this bilayered delivery system has the potential to reduce cramping and provide constipation relief. Findings are published in Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology.