SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. (NASDAQ:SLXP) today announced findings from two analyses of the Phase IIb clinical trial of rifaximin, its non-absorbed, gut-selective antibiotic for the treatment of patients with diarrhea–associated irritable bowel syndrome (d-IBS). Data presented at Digestive Disease Week 2008 showed that patients treated with rifaximin demonstrated statistically greater clinical improvement in both co-primary endpoints of adequate relief of global IBS symptoms (SGA) and of adequate relief of bloating (BL) compared to placebo, and the safety profiles were similar between rifaximin and placebo. Improvements were sustained for 12 weeks of follow-up despite cessation of therapy after 14 days. Data from a supplemental analysis found that the most significant predictors of clinical response were daily bloating and abdominal pain.
