FDA approves AstraZeneca's Movantik

SILVER SPRING — The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday announced approval for Movantik (naloxegol), a treatment for opioid-induced constipation in adults. Opioids are used for the treatment and management of pain, but a common side effect associated with such drugs is that they reduce the gastrointestinal tract's motility, the agency said, making bowel movements difficult. 

 

“Supportive care products such as Movantik can lessen the constipating side effects of opioids,” said Julie Beitz, M.D., director of the Office of Drug Evaluation III in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

 

Movantik is distributed by AstraZeneca.