Two medicines, side by side
Alosetron vs plecanatide
Alosetron has no indication this site maps; plecanatide has no indication this site maps. Their labels share no use, so they are not alternatives to each other. Drugs@FDA records approvals of alosetron since 2000 and of plecanatide since 2017. In FDA's classes, alosetron is a serotonin-3 receptor antagonist and plecanatide a guanylate cyclase-c agonist.
Check it at the source: the alosetron FDA label on DailyMed (effective March 23, 2026); the plecanatide FDA label on DailyMed (effective April 4, 2024).
Highlights of the alosetron record
Alosetron (Lotronex) · label of March 23, 2026
SERIOUS GASTROINTESTINAL ADVERSE REACTIONS Infrequent but serious gastrointestinal adverse reactions have been reported with the use of LOTRONEX. These events, including ischemic colitis and serious complications of constipation, have resulted in hospitalization, and rarely, blood transfusion, surgery, and death.
Used for
From the label: indicationsLOTRONEX is indicated only for women with severe diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) who have: chronic IBS symptoms (generally lasting 6 months or longer), had anatomic or biochemical abnormalities of the gastrointestinal tract excluded, and not responded adequately to conventional therapy. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- February 9, 2000
- Generic labelers
- 6 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $2.02 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 0
Highlights of the plecanatide record
Plecanatide (Trulance) · label of April 4, 2024
RISK OF SERIOUS DEHYDRATION IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS TRULANCE is contraindicated in patients less than 6 years of age; in nonclinical studies in young juvenile mice, administration of a single oral dose of plecanatide caused deaths due to dehydration [see Contraindications (4), Use in Specific Populations (8.4) ]. Avoid use of TRULANCE in patients 6 years to less than 18 years of age [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1), Use in Specific Populations (8.4) ].
Used for
From the label: indicationsTRULANCE is indicated in adults for the treatment of: chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC). irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C). TRULANCE is a guanylate cyclase-C agonist indicated in adults for treatment of: chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC). ( 1 ) irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C).
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- January 19, 2017
- Generic labelers
- none listed
- Pharmacy cost
- Not in the survey
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 0
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Alosetron label of March 23, 2026, Plecanatide label of April 4, 2024); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do alosetron and plecanatide differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, alosetron is a serotonin-3 receptor antagonist and plecanatide a guanylate cyclase-c agonist.
How each works, in its label's words: Alosetron, “Alosetron is a potent and selective 5-HT 3 receptor antagonist. 5-HT 3 receptors are ligand-gated cation channels that are extensively distributed on enteric neurons in the human gastrointestinal …”; Plecanatide, “Plecanatide is a structural analog of human uroguanylin, and similarly to uroguanylin, plecanatide functions as a guanylate cyclase-C (GC-C) agonist.”
Both labels carry a boxed warning; the records quote them.
Generics: alosetron since 2015; plecanatide none approved (Drugs@FDA).
| Alosetron | Plecanatide | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | n/a | n/a |
| Pharmacologic class | Serotonin-3 Receptor Antagonist | Guanylate Cyclase-C Agonist |
| How it works (label) | Alosetron is a potent and selective 5-HT 3 receptor antagonist. 5-HT 3 receptors are ligand-gated cation channels that are extensively distributed on enteric neurons in the human gastrointestinal tract, as well as other peripheral and … | Plecanatide is a structural analog of human uroguanylin, and similarly to uroguanylin, plecanatide functions as a guanylate cyclase-C (GC-C) agonist. |
| Half-life (label) | The terminal elimination half-life of alosetron is approximately 1.5 hours (plasma clearance is approximately 600 mL/min). | n/a |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | February 9, 2000 | January 19, 2017 |
| First generic approved | May 4, 2015 | none |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 6 labelers | none listed |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $2.02 per tablet (Alosetron HCl 0.5 mg tablet) | n/a |
| 12-month price change | -15% | n/a |
| Boxed warning | Yes | Yes |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 0 | 0 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 908 | 1,995 |
| DEA schedule | none | none |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Alternatives to alosetron
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions