• Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc., of New York, said dosing has commenced in a Phase IIb trial of plecanatide to treat patients with constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C). The 350-patient trial is being conducted at 70 sites in the U.S. Participants with IBS-C will be treated with one of four doses of plecanatide (0.3, 1, 3 or 9 mg) or placebo, taken once daily over a period of 12 weeks.