Gastroenterology: Bile acid chelating agent IW-3718 assisted in the treatment of refractive gastroesophageal reflux disease

Incurable gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) seriously affects the quality of life of patients, and statistics show that about 30% of GERD patients treated with standard dose proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) still have symptomsRecently, researchers assessed the effectiveness and safety of the bile acid chelating agent IW-3718 as an auxiliary to PPI therapy280 confirmed GERD patients participated in the studyStratified by esophageal inflammation, patients were randomly given placebo or IW-3718 (500, 1000, or 1500 mg) twice daily on a standard dose of PPIThe main endpoint was the change in the weekly heartburn severity score from the baseline to the 8th week, and the researchers also analyzed the percentage change in the weekly reflux frequency score from the baseline check to the 8th weekthe average changes in weekly heartburn severity scores in the placebo group, 500 mg group, 1000 mg group and 1500 mg IW-3718 group, from baseline to week 8, were 46.0%, 49.0%, 55.1% and 58.0%, respectivelyThe difference between treatment in the 1500 mg IW-3718 group and the placebo group was 11.9%The average change in weekly reflux frequency scores from baseline checkto to week 8 was reduced by 17.5% compared to the placebo groupThe most common adverse reaction is constipation, where no serious adverse events associated with the drug occurstudy found that adding 1500mg IW-3718 to standard PPI treatment significantly reduced heart burnandal and reflux symptoms in patients with refractive gastroesophageal reflux