Sebela Pharmaceuticals® announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Sutab® (sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, and potassium chloride) tablets. Sutab, a sulfate-based tablet preparation for colonoscopy, was developed and will be marketed by Braintree Laboratories, the makers of SUPREP® Bowel Prep Kit (sodium sulfate, potassium sulfate and magnesium sulfate) Oral Solution—the market leader in branded colonoscopy preparations.1 Sutab gives patients and physicians an alternative to liquid-based colonoscopy preparations. Braintree, a leader in gastroenterology, is part of Sebela Pharmaceuticals.
Colonoscopy is the most common detection method for colorectal cancer, a leading cause of cancer-related deaths that can be managed more effectively through screening.2 It is considered the gold standard of colorectal cancer screening methods for its ability to view the entire colon and both detect and remove polyps during the same procedure.3,4 Nineteen million colonoscopies are performed in the U.S. every year.5 For those patients, particularly those who have had difficulty completing colonoscopy preparation in the past, Sutab presents a welcome alternative to liquid bowel preparation.
"Successful bowel prep is critical for gastroenterologists to clearly see any polyps or abnormalities, yet the immense volume of liquid prep solutions can prevent patients from adequately completing their regimens. Tablets provide a welcome alternative for successful prep completion and visualization of the colon," said Douglas K. Rex, M.D., Director of Endoscopy at Indiana University Hospital and Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Indiana School of Medicine.
Alan Cooke, President and CEO of Sebela Pharmaceuticals, said, "Gastroenterologists and their patients have repeatedly asked for a safe and efficacious tablet bowel prep. Now patients can benefit from SUTAB, thanks to Braintree's innovative and dedicated team, who have worked tirelessly to develop this important product. SUTAB's FDA approval underscores Braintree's more than 35-year commitment to gastroenterology."
In two pivotal trials, 92% of patients achieved successful bowel cleansing with SUTAB6 and 92%-95% of patients achieved successful cleansing in all segments of the colon, including the proximal colon. 7 In one pivotal trial, 91% of patients rated Sutab as very easy to tolerable to consume.7 Seventy-eight percent said they would request Sutab again for a future colonoscopy.7 Fifty-two percent of all Sutab and MoviPrep®8 patients reported at least one selected gastrointestinal adverse reaction. 6 More SUTAB patients reported experiencing nausea and vomiting than the comparator, with ≤1% of these reports considered severe. 6
"The approval of Sutab provides a welcome relief for patients who struggle with the unpleasant taste issues commonly associated with other products for colonoscopy preparation," said Jack A. Di Palma, M.D., Professor of Medicine and Fellowship Program Director of the Division of Gastroenterology at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine and Past-President of the American College of Gastroenterology. "And because SUTAB contains the active sulfate ingredients similar to SUPREP, gastroenterologists will already be familiar with its effects."
