DUBLIN, Ireland — Allergan plc has released Viberzi (eluxadoline), a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D), to U.S. pharmacies.

The company said Monday that Viberzi, a twice-daily oral medication, relieves the core symptoms of IBS-D: recurrent diarrhea and abdominal pain. Symptom relief was maintained throughout treatment in two pivotal clinical trials.

“We are excited about the launch of Viberzi, which addresses an unmet need among IBS-D patients seeking a treatment to manage their symptoms proactively,” commented William Meury, president and executive vice president of branded pharma at Allergan. “This introduction reaffirms Allergan’s commitment to providing a new treatment option that serves to help gastroenterologists reach better outcomes for their patients.”

IBS-D affects as many as 15 million adult Americans, impacting women and men equally. Few prescription treatment options are available for IBS-D, particularly those that relieve both the diarrhea and abdominal pain, Allergan noted.

Viberzi has been classified as a Schedule IV controlled substance, defined by the Drug Enforcement Agency a drug with a low potential for abuse and low risk of dependence.