Knight Therapeutics Announces Canadian Commercial Launch of IBSRELA - New Innovative Treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation

MONTREAL, March 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Knight Therapeutics Inc. (TSX: GUD), (“Knight”) a pan-American (ex-USA) specialty pharmaceutical company, announced today the Canadian commercial availability of IBSRELA (tenapanor), a first-in-class therapy for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) in adults. Knight has the exclusive right to commercialize IBSRELA in Canada under the terms of a license agreement entered into with Ardelyx, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARDX) in March 2018, which license agreement also provides Knight with exclusive rights to commercialize tenapanor for hyperphosphatemia in Canada.   IBSRELA was approved by Health Canada on April 15, 2020 and is now covered by most private insurance companies in Canada.

IBSRELA is a minimally-absorbed small molecule that acts locally in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract with a novel mechanism of action centered on reducing absorption of sodium from the small intestine and colon, resulting in an increase in bowel movements and a decrease in abdominal pain for IBS-C patients. On September 12, 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved IBSRELA for the treatment of IBS-C in adults. In the clinical development of IBSRELA diarrhea was the most common adverse event reported by patients often occurring during the first week of treatment.

“Even with the current therapeutic options, many patients suffering from constipation predominant irritable bowel syndrome remain dissatisfied with the current treatments available. Hence, new therapeutic options for treating this challenging condition are needed”, according to Dr. Louis Liu, Chief, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Sinai Health/ University Health Network, Toronto.  

“We are proud to be able to offer a well-tolerated and efficacious treatment with a novel mechanism of action to Canadian adults suffering from IBS-C”, said Jody Engel, Country Manager Canada at Knight Therapeutics Inc.

About IBSRELA

IBSRELA (tenapanor) is a locally acting inhibitor of the sodium/hydrogen exchanger 3 (NHE3), an antiporter expressed on the apical surface of the small intestine and colon primarily responsible for the absorption of dietary sodium. By inhibiting NHE3 on the apical surface of the enterocytes, IBSRELA reduces absorption of sodium from the small intestine and colon, resulting in an increase in water secretion into the intestinal lumen, which accelerates intestinal transit time and results in a softer stool consistency.