Ironwood Pharmaceuticals Inc. has a truly transformational event this December: the launch on December 17 of its first drug, linaclotide. Approved August 30 in the US for adults with irritable bowel syndrome and constipation (IBS-C) and/or chronic constipation, and in Europe on November 28 for IBS-C only, linaclotide is one of the most promising primary care drugs to come to market in recent years and, by all accounts, has potential to be a blockbuster.
Analysts estimate its global sales – the US brand name is Linzess – could peak at $2.7 billion or more before the patent expires in the US in 2025. Its...