What type of drug is Motegrity?

Motegrity (prucalopride) is a selective serotonin type 4 (5-HT4) receptor agonist. It works by enhancing colonic peristalsis to increase bowel motility in adults with chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC).

Chronic idiopathic constipation is constipation that is long-lasting and does not have any identifiable cause. It is thought that as many as 35 million adults in the U.S. may suffer from CIC. People with CIC frequently report symptoms such as hard or lumpy stools, straining during bowel movements, and incomplete bowel movements.

Motegrity (prucalopride) is the first selective serotonin type 4 (5-HT4) receptor agonist approved for CIC. Other treatments for CIC include Linzess (linaclotide) and Trulance (plecanatide). Both of these drugs are guanylate cyclase-C agonists that work by binding to intestinal epithelial cells to stimulate the secretion of water into the intestinal lumen. Linzess and Trulance are also approved for use in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C).