BRIEF—Ferring gains US approval for ready-to-drink colonoscopy prep product

Privately-held Swiss firm Ferring Pharmaceuticals has been handed approval from the US FDA for its colon cleansing product Clenpiq (sodium picosulfate/magnesium oxide/anhydrous citric acid).

Clenpiq is an oral solution for cleansing of the colon in adults undergoing a colonoscopy.

The company plans to make the product available early next year.

Edward Brettholz at the NYU School of Medicine said: "Having a ready-to-drink, low volume colonoscopy prep in a pre-mixed oral solution is an excellent start to prepare patients for this important procedure to help detect and prevent colorectal cancer."

Chief executive Paul Navarre said: "We expect that a ready-to-drink bowel preparation will aid physicians in their efforts to encourage colonoscopies among a patient population for whom various public health initiatives have called for increased screening."