Ironwood Pharmaceuticals to Present New Linaclotide Data and Unveil Findings From GI Disease Surveys at Digestive Disease Week® 2021

– Presentations feature four posters of distinction –

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:IRWD), a GI-focused healthcare company, today announced that the company and its collaborators will present seven posters – four of which have been named posters of distinction – during the Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) 2021 virtual meeting being held from May 21 through May 23, 2021.

Two posters of distinction will discuss the impact of linaclotide on visceral hypersensitivity. Ironwood is focused on advancing the science and understanding of visceral hypersensitivity, which is one of the main underlying causes of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C).1 Other data will highlight disease burden and care-seeking behavior among patients with IBS-C during the COVID-19 pandemic, and additional posters will reveal findings from a nationwide GI disease survey of nearly 90,000 Americans.

“Ironwood is committed to expanding our understanding of the pathology, prevalence and real-world impact of IBS and other GI diseases among varied populations and to sharing those learnings with the medical community with the goal of advancing care for patients,” said Mike Shetzline, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer, senior vice president and head of drug development at Ironwood. “We look forward to the upcoming DDW meeting to discuss the important insights from our clinical and basic research.”

Results from a Nationwide Survey of Nearly 90,000 Americans, by Christopher Almario, M.D., MSHPM, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA

• Prevalence of Bowel Disorders in Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease (poster of distinction; presentation number Fr080) will be presented on Friday, May 21, 12:15 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• Prevalence and Burden of Illness of Rome IV Chronic Idiopathic Constipation, Opioid-Induced Constipation, and Opioid-Exacerbated Constipation in the U.S. (presentation number Fr438) will be presented on Friday, May 21, 12:15 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• Prevalence and Burden of Illness of Rome IV Irritable Bowel Syndrome in the U.S. (poster of distinction; presentation number Su085) will be presented on Sunday, May 23, 12:15 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

IBS-C Disease Burden During COVID-19

• Disease Burden and Care-Seeking Behavior for IBS-C Patients in the United States in the Era of COVID-19 (presentation number Fr014), by Douglas Taylor, Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Boston, MA, will be presented on Friday, May 21, 12:15 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Impact of Linaclotide on Visceral Hypersensitivity

• Colorectal Nociceptive Processing in the Rostral and Caudal Ventromedial Medulla is Increased in a Mouse Model of Chronic Visceral Hypersensitivity and is Reversed by Chronic Linaclotide treatment (poster of distinction; presentation number Su136) by Andrea Harrington, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, will be presented on Sunday, May 23, 2021, 12:15 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• Intracolonic Administration of Linaclotide Relieves Visceral Hypersensitivity by Inhibiting Chronic Psychological Stress- Induced Activation of Central Nociceptive Pathways in Rats (poster of distinction; presentation number Su134) by Casey Ligon, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, will be presented on Sunday, May 23, 12:15 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Effect of MD-7246 on IBS-D

• Impact of MD-7246 on Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Diarrhea: Phase 2 Results (presentation number Su090), by Anthony Lembo, M.D., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, will be presented on Sunday, May 23, 12:15 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

About Linaclotide

Linaclotide is a guanylate cyclase-C (GC-C) agonist that is thought to work in two ways based on nonclinical studies. Linaclotide binds to the GC-C receptor locally, within the intestinal epithelium. Activation of GC-C results in increased intestinal fluid secretion and accelerated transit and a decrease in the activity of pain-sensing nerves in the intestine. The clinical relevance of the effect on pain fibers, which is based on nonclinical studies, has not been established. In the United States, Ironwood and AbbVie co-develop and co-commercialize LINZESS for the treatment of adults with IBS-C or chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC). In Europe, AbbVie markets linaclotide under the brand name CONSTELLA® for the treatment of adults with moderate to severe IBS-C. In Japan, Ironwood's partner Astellas markets linaclotide under the brand name LINZESS for the treatment of adults with IBS-C or CIC. Ironwood has also partnered with AstraZeneca for development and commercialization of LINZESS in China, and with AbbVie for development and commercialization of linaclotide in all other territories worldwide.

LINZESS® and CONSTELLA® are registered trademarks of Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Any other trademarks referred to in this press release are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

About Ironwood Pharmaceuticals

Ironwood Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq:IRWD) is a leading gastrointestinal (GI) healthcare company on a mission to advance the treatment of GI diseases and redefine the standard of care for GI patients. We are pioneers in the development of LINZESS® (linaclotide), the U.S. branded prescription market leader for adults with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) or chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC). Under the guidance of our seasoned industry leaders, we continue to build upon our history of GI innovation and challenge what has been done before to shape what the future holds. We keep patients at the heart of our R&D and commercialization efforts to reduce the burden of GI diseases and address significant unmet needs.

Founded in 1998, Ironwood Pharmaceuticals is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.

We routinely post information that may be important to investors on our website at www.ironwoodpharma.com. In addition, follow us on Twitter and on LinkedIn.

____________________ 1 Mantides A. Gut motility and visceral perception in IBS patients. Ann Gastroenterol. 2002;15(3):240-247.

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Source: Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc.