The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted the marketing approval to Salix Pharmaceuticals’ APRISO (mesalamine) extended-release capsules 0.375 g. A locally-acting aminosalicylate, APRISO has been approved for the remission of ulcerative colitis (UC) in adults. APRISO is the only mesalamine product to receive an FDA approval as once-daily drug for the maintenance of remission of UC. Also, it is the first ever 5-ASA with Intellicor(TM) extended release delivery technology. The product will be available to physicians by early 2009.