Key facts
- Active ingredient
- Plecanatide
- Form
- Tablet
- Strength
- Plecanatide 3MG
- Type
- Prescription (Rx)
- Brand or generic
- Brand-name
- May treat
- constipation
- Manufacturer
- Salix
- FDA application
- NDA208745
- FDA boxed warning
- Yes — see the boxed warning
What is Trulance?
From the FDA label:TRULANCE (plecanatide) is a guanylate cyclase-C (GC-C) agonist. Plecanatide is a 16 amino acid peptide with the following chemical name: L-Leucine, L-asparaginyl-L-α-aspartyl-L-α-glutamyl-L-cysteinyl-L-α-glutamyl-L-leucyl-L-cysteinyl-L-valyl-L-asparaginyl-L-valyl-L-alanyl-L-cysteinyl-L-threonylglycyl-L-cysteinyl-, cyclic (4→12),(7→15)-bis(disulfide). The molecular formula of plecanatide is C 65 H 104 N 18 O 26 S 4 and the molecular weight is 1682 Daltons. The amino acid sequence for plecanatide is shown below: The solid lines linking cysteines illustrate disulfide bridges. Plecanatide is an amorphous, white to off-white powder. It is soluble in water. TRULANCE tablets are supplied as 3 mg tablets for oral administration. The inactive ingredients are magnesium stearate and microcrystalline cellulose. structure
How to use
The recommended adult dosage of TRULANCE is CIC: 3 mg taken orally once daily. ( 2.1 ) IBS-C: 3 mg taken orally once daily. ( 2.1 ) Administration Instructions ( 2.2 ): Take with or without food. Swallow tablets whole. For patients who have difficulty swallowing tablets whole or those with a nasogastric or gastric feeding tube, see full prescribing information with instructions for crushing the tablet and administering with applesauce or water. 2.1 Recommended Dosage The recommended dosage of TRULANCE for the treatment of CIC and IBS-C is 3 mg taken orally once daily. 2.2 Preparation and Administration Instructions Take TRULANCE with or without food [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . If a dose is missed, skip the missed dose and take the next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses at the same time. Swallow a tablet whole for each dose. For adult patients with swallowing difficulties, TRULANCE tablets can be crushed and administered orally either in applesauce or with water or administered with water via a nasogastric or gastric feeding tube. Mixing TRULANCE crushed tablets in other soft foods or in other liquids has not been tested. Oral Administration in Applesauce: In a clean container, crush the TRULANCE tablet to a powder and mix with 1 teaspoonful of room temperature applesauce. Consume the entire tablet-applesauce mixture immediately. Do not store the mixture…
Side effects
Most common adverse reaction (≥2%) is diarrhea. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Salix Pharmaceuticals at 1-800-321-4576 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical studies are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared with rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. Demographic characteristics were comparable between the TRULANCE and placebo groups in all studies [see Clinical Studies (14) ] . Chronic Idiopathic Constipation (CIC) The safety data described below reflect data from 1,733 adult patients with CIC randomized in two double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials (Study 1 and Study 2) to receive placebo or 3 mg of TRULANCE once daily for 12 weeks. Most Common Adverse Reactions Table 1 provides the incidence of adverse reactions reported in at least 2% of CIC patients in the TRULANCE-treated group and at an incidence that was greater than in the placebo group. Table 1: Most Common Adverse Reactions a in Two Placebo-Controlled Trials of TRULANCE [Study 1 and Study 2] in Patients with CIC Adverse Reaction TRULANCE, 3 mg (N = 863) % Placebo (N = 870) % a: Reported in at least 2% of TRULANCE-treated patients with CIC and at an incidence greater than…
FDA Boxed Warning (the FDA’s most serious warning)
Boxed (black-box) warning — from the FDA label
RISK OF SERIOUS DEHYDRATION IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS TRULANCE is contraindicated in patients less than 6 years of age; in nonclinical studies in young juvenile mice, administration of a single oral dose of plecanatide caused deaths due to dehydration [see Contraindications (4) , Use in Specific Populations (8.4) ] . Avoid use of TRULANCE in patients 6 years to less than 18 years of age [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) , Use in Specific Populations (8.4) ] . The safety and effectiveness of TRULANCE have not been established in patients less than 18 years of age [see Use in Specific Populations (8.4) ] . WARNING: RISK OF SERIOUS DEHYDRATION IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning. TRULANCE is contraindicated in patients less than 6 years of age; in young juvenile mice, plecanatide caused death due to dehydration. ( 4 , 8.4 ) Avoid use of TRULANCE in patients 6 years to less than 18 years of age. ( 5.1 , 8.4 ) The safety and effectiveness of TRULANCE have not been established in patients less than 18 years of age. ( 8.4 )
Warnings
Important safety information
Diarrhea: Patients may experience severe diarrhea. If severe diarrhea occurs, suspend dosing and rehydrate the patient. ( 5.2 ) 5.1 Risk of Serious Dehydration in Pediatric Patients TRULANCE is contraindicated in patients less than 6 years of age. The safety and effectiveness of TRULANCE in patients less than 18 years of age have not been established. In young juvenile mice (human age equivalent of approximately 1 month to less than 2 years), plecanatide increased fluid-secretion into the intestines as a consequence of stimulation of guanylate cyclase-C (GC-C), resulting in mortality in some mice within the first 24 hours, apparently due to dehydration. Due to increased intestinal expression of GC-C, patients less than 6 years of age may be more likely than patients 6 years of age and older to develop severe diarrhea and its potentially serious consequences. Avoid the use of TRULANCE in patients 6 years to less than 18 years of age. Although there were no deaths in older juvenile mice, given the deaths in younger mice and the lack of clinical safety and efficacy data in pediatric patients, avoid the use of TRULANCE in patients 6 years to less than 18 years of age [see Contraindications (4) , Warnings and Precautions (5.2) , Use in Specific Populations (8.4) ] . 5.2 Diarrhea Diarrhea was the most common adverse reaction in four placebo-controlled clinical trials, two in patients with CIC and two in patients with IBS-C. Severe diarrhea was reported in 0.6% of patients in two trials in patients with CIC and in 0.6% of patients in the two trials in patients with IBS-C [see Adverse Reactions (6.1) ] . If severe diarrhea occurs, suspend dosing and rehydrate the patient.
Who should not take Trulance
TRULANCE is contraindicated in: Patients less than 6 years of age due to the risk of serious dehydration [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) , Use in Specific Populations (8.4) ] . Patients with known or suspected mechanical gastrointestinal obstruction. Patients less than 6 years of age due to the risk of serious dehydration. ( 4 , 5.1 , 8.4 ) Patients with known or suspected mechanical gastrointestinal obstruction. ( 4 )
Storing Trulance, and how long it keeps
Quoted from this product’s own FDA label. Storage belongs to the product and its device, not to the drug in general — a pen and a tablet of the same medicine are kept completely differently.
- “Instruct patients to take steps to store TRULANCE securely and out of reach of children and to dispose of unused TRULANCE [see Contraindications (4) , Warnings and Precautions (5.”
May treat (source: NIH RxClass)
Dosage forms
Tablet
The forms currently marketed in the U.S., per the FDA National Drug Code Directory.
Ways to save
Ask for the generic
Same active ingredient, far cheaper. Is there a generic? →
Request a 90-day supply
Bulk fills usually lower the per-dose price vs monthly refills.
Use copay cards
Manufacturer copay cards & patient-assistance programs — especially for brand drugs.
Compare alternatives
A same-class option may cost less. See alternatives →
Frequently asked questions
- What does Trulance treat?
- Trulance (Plecanatide) may be used to treat constipation, based on NIH RxClass drug-classification data (conditions a drug may treat — not a verbatim copy of the FDA-approved label). This is general reference, not medical advice.
- Is there a coupon or discount for Trulance?
- pharmaranks is an independent ratings site, not a pharmacy — we don't issue coupons or sell Trulance. To pay less, ask your prescriber or pharmacist whether a generic equivalent exists, check the manufacturer's copay/savings card and patient-assistance program, and compare a pharmacy discount card against your insurance copay. Prices vary by pharmacy, insurance, and location, so always confirm at the counter. This is general reference, not medical or financial advice.
- Who makes Trulance?
- Trulance is marketed by Salix. You can see Salix's full profile, rating, and other products on pharmaranks.
- Is Trulance a brand-name or generic drug?
- Trulance is a brand-name product with the active ingredient Plecanatide.
- Is Trulance available over the counter?
- No. Trulance is a prescription (Rx) medication in the US — you need a prescription from a licensed clinician (in person or via telehealth); it isn't sold over the counter. For some conditions there are OTC alternatives — ask your pharmacist.
- What forms does Trulance come in?
- Trulance is currently marketed as tablet, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory.
- Is Trulance FDA-registered?
- Trulance is on record with the U.S. FDA under application number NDA208745. You can verify this on its official FDA label.
- Is Trulance safe?
- There's no single safe-or-not verdict, and we don't yet have a composite recall-safety score for Trulance. Review its FDA-label side effects and warnings below, and always consult a licensed professional.
- What are the side effects of Trulance?
- Trulance's side effects are taken directly from its FDA label. From the label: Most common adverse reaction (≥2%) is diarrhea. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Salix Pharmaceuticals at 1-800-321-4576 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical studies are conducted under widely varying conditions,… Both common and serious reactions are documented in full on this page. This is general reference from the FDA, not medical advice — always consult a professional.
Clinical content sourced from the FDA label via openFDA (U.S. FDA). View the FDA label on DailyMed → Provided for general reference only — not medical advice. Always consult a licensed professional and the current prescribing information.
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