Sucampo Pharma Europe, Ltd, and Sucampo Pharma Americas, Inc, subsidiaries of Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc, presented additional clinical data for lubiprostone (Amitiza) at Gastro 2009 UEGF/WCOG, the joint meeting of the United European Gastroenterology Federation (UEGF), the World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO), the World Organisation of Digestive Endoscopy (OMED) and the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG), in London. The data presented reflect additional analyses of already disclosed phase-2 and phase-3 clinical trials of lubiprostone in patients with chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) and in patients diagnosed with or reporting irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C).

Overall, the data analyses demonstrated that, in these trials, lubiprostone achieved a statistically significant response in patients with IBS-C as compared to placebo patients in a variety of symptomatic endpoints; demonstrated long-term efficacy through an overall improvement in constipation severity for up to 12 months in adult patients regardless of age, gender or race; and achieved a significant response among refractory constipation patients as compared to placebo.

Ryuji Ueno, chief executive officer, chief scientific officer and founder of Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc said, “The analyses presented today provide further evidence of the long-term safety and efficacy of lubiprostone as a treatment for chronic idiopathic constipation in adults, regardless of age, gender or race, and as a treatment for patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome with constipation.”

Amitiza is a local activator of type-2 chloride channels in cells lining the small intestine. Amitiza increases fluid secretion into the intestinal tract.

Sucampo Pharmaceuticals an international biopharmaceutical company based in Bethesda, Maryland, focuses on the development and commercialization of medicines based on prostones.