Press Release

HKBU and CUHK jointly develop new drug JCM-16021 for the treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Tuesday, 05 Mar 2019

Researchers from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) have developed a new formula, called JCM-16021, for the treatment of Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The novel drug will be subjected to a large-scale clinical trial with the aim of providing an additional effective therapy option for patients.

IBS is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder which affects around 10 to 20% of people worldwide. According to research published in 2001, around 7% of adults suffer from IBS in Hong Kong. Patients diagnosed with IBS often present with abdominal pain and constipation or diarrhoea, which affects their daily lives. At present, there is no treatment or drug which can effectively cure the disorder. Instead, doctors usually prescribe medication to manage the symptoms of IBS or ask the patient to change their lifestyle.

The integrative research team, which was led by Professor Bian Zhaoxiang, HKBU's Chair Professor of School of Chinese Medicine and Professor Justin Wu, CUHK's Professor of Institute of Digestive Disease of Faculty of Medicine with the support of the Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) and the Hong Kong Jockey Club Institute of Chinese Medicine, has been exploring the treatment of IBS with Chinese medicine since 2002.

Taking reference from a traditional Chinese medicine formula, the research team – which involved academics from the Hong Kong Chinese Medicine Clinical Study Centre (CMCS), which is part of the School of Chinese Medicine (SCM) at HKBU, and the Institute of Digestive Disease, which forms part of the Faculty of Medicine at CUHK – revised the traditional formula into the new JCM-16021 treatment for IBS with diarrhoea.

The JCM-16021, which contains Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (Bai Zhu/白朮), Radix Paeoniae Lactiflorae (Bai Shao/白芍), Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis (Hou Po/厚樸), Semen coicis Lachryma-jobi (Yi Yi Ren /薏苡仁), Polygonaceae (Huo Tan Mu/火炭母), Fructus Terminaliae Chebulae (He Zi/訶子) and Rhizoma Corydalis Yanhusuo (Yan Hu Suo/延胡索), has been shown to reduce visceral hypersensitivity, diarrhoea symptoms and intestinal movement and spasm in a recent experimental study which looked at the pharmacodynamics of the JCM-16021 treatment.

The JCM-16021 has been successfully granted an invention patent from mainland China. In addition, the research team has been granted approval from the China Food & Drug Administration (CFDA) and a Certificate for Clinical Trial and Medicinal Test from the HKSAR Department of Health, enabling the team to commence Phase II clinical trials in Hong Kong and China. The consolidated results from the clinical trial will be used to register the new drug, enabling JCM-16021 to be offered as a new treatment for IBS in Greater China and also around the world.

The research team is now recruiting 392 qualified IBS patients for an 18-week clinical trial. All treatments and tests are free. Those aged 18-65 years, and free of significant illness but who experiencing recurrent abdominal pain (at least one day per week) and diarrhoea are invited to join (prioritisation for patients who have had a colonoscopy examination within the past five years).

Regarding enquiries and enrolment in the clinical trial, please contact:
Ms Li Jieru, Hong Kong Chinese Medicine Clinical Study Centre of SCM at HKBU (Tel: 3411 2699; Fax: 3411 2626, Email: ibs_study@hkbu.edu.hk; Website: https://scm.hkbu.edu.hk/ibsstudy )
Mr Louis Lo, Institute of Digestive Disease of Faulty of Medicine at CUHK (Tel: 3505 3476; Fax: 2637 1978; Email: digestivehealth@cuhk.edu.hk; Website: digestivehealth.org.hk)

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Media enquiries:

Mavis Wong from the HKBU Communication and Public Relations Office at 3411 7964 or hkbunews@hkbu.edu.hk