Ascites

The FDA has granted premarket approval to Sequana Medical’s alfapump implantable device for the treatment of recurrent or refractory ascites due to cirrhosis, according to a company press release.

PHILADELPHIA — In this video, Paul Kwo, MD, professor of medicine and director of hepatology at Stanford University, highlights a presentation evaluating the use of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors in patients with cirrhosis.

Although rifaximin was well-tolerated in patients with severe cirrhosis and ascites, it did not improve transplant-free survival and cirrhosis-related complications and “cannot be recommended” as antibiotic prophylaxis, a researcher noted.

The FDA has granted orphan drug designation to Ocelot Bio’s OCE-205, a mixed vasopression 1a receptor agonist-antagonist peptide for the treatment of ascites resulting from all causes except cancer, according to a company release.

Initial results from a phase 3 clinical study of terlipressin showed that the therapy met its primary endpoint of “verified” hepatorenal syndrome type 1 reversal, according to a press release from Mallinckrodt.