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Pico-Salax®
Pico-Salax® is a Bowel cleansing agent / Laxative combination Small molecule drug developed by The Hospital for Sick Children. It is currently FDA-approved for Bowel cleansing prior to colonoscopy, Bowel cleansing prior to barium enema or other colorectal procedures.
Pico-Salax is a bowel cleansing agent that combines sodium picosulfate with magnesium citrate to stimulate intestinal motility and osmotically draw fluid into the colon, evacuating bowel contents.
Pico-Salax is a small molecule used as a bowel cleanser before colonoscopy. It is a competitor to PEG-Lyte in this application, as demonstrated in a clinical trial comparing the two for bowel cleanout in children.
At a glance
| Generic name | Pico-Salax® |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | The Hospital for Sick Children |
| Drug class | Bowel cleansing agent / Laxative combination |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Gastroenterology |
| Phase | FDA-approved |
Mechanism of action
Sodium picosulfate is a prodrug that is metabolized by colonic bacteria into bis-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-pyridyl-methane, which acts as a stimulant laxative on the colon. Magnesium citrate acts as an osmotic agent, drawing water into the intestinal lumen to increase stool bulk and promote evacuation. Together, these components provide rapid and effective bowel cleansing prior to diagnostic or surgical procedures.
Approved indications
- Bowel cleansing prior to colonoscopy
- Bowel cleansing prior to barium enema or other colorectal procedures
Common side effects
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal cramping
- Diarrhea
- Headache
Key clinical trials
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |
Competitive intelligence
For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:
- Pico-Salax® CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Pico-Salax® updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- The Hospital for Sick Children portfolio CI
Frequently asked questions about Pico-Salax®
What is Pico-Salax®?
How does Pico-Salax® work?
What is Pico-Salax® used for?
Who makes Pico-Salax®?
What drug class is Pico-Salax® in?
What development phase is Pico-Salax® in?
What are the side effects of Pico-Salax®?
Related
- Drug class: All Bowel cleansing agent / Laxative combination drugs
- Manufacturer: The Hospital for Sick Children — full pipeline
- Therapeutic area: All drugs in Gastroenterology
- Indication: Drugs for Bowel cleansing prior to colonoscopy
- Indication: Drugs for Bowel cleansing prior to barium enema or other colorectal procedures
Primary sources · FDA · ClinicalTrials.gov · EMA · SEC EDGAR · ChEMBL · Wikidata · full sourcing