AstraZeneca launches Movantik

WILMINGTON, Del. — AstraZeneca on Tuesday announced that Movantik (naloxegol) has launched in the United States. The drug was approved by the Food and Drug Administration on Sept. 16 to treat opioid-induced constipation in adults who have chronic, non-cancer pain. 

 

"Movantik provides an oral treatment option that's specifically designed for patients struggling with opioid-induced constipation. When administered at recommended dose levels, Movantik decreases the constipating effect of opioids by blocking opioids from binding to mu-receptors in the bowel," said Cathy Datto, U.S. medical lead at AstraZeneca. "And because of its design, at recommended doses, the central nervous system penetration of Movantik is expected to be negligible, limiting the potential for interference with opioid pain relief."

 

According to the company, OIC is a common side effect of opioids and will typically persist for the duration of treatment. "We know many patients taking opioids for chronic non-cancer pain often experience OIC, and we believe Movantik is an important treatment option for those unable to effectively manage their symptoms,” added Dave Fredrickson, VP specialty care for AstraZeneca.