cholestyramine

Trade name: questran

Small moleculeapproved

Approved

Aug 3, 1973

Colestyramine (INN) or cholestyramine (USAN) is a bile acid sequestrant, which binds bile in the gastrointestinal tract to prevent its reabsorption. It is a strong ion exchange resin, which means it can exchange its chloride anions with anionic bile acids in the gastrointestinal tract and bind them strongly in the resin matrix. The functional group of the anion exchange resin is a quaternary ammonium group attached to an inert styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer. — Wikipedia

Clinical trial activity

29 trials · 48 clinical orgs · 19 marketing orgs

Phase 1
6
Phase 2
14
Phase 3
8
Phase 4
4

Earliest trial started Nov 1, 1971 (NCT00000594)

Timeline

1970s

  1. Jan 1, 1971

    Earliest Phase 3 Sponsor(trial)

  2. Aug 3, 1973

    Bristol-Myers — Earliest FDA Approval

  3. Aug 3, 1973

    Bristol-Myers Squibb — NDA Secondary Org

  4. Aug 3, 1973

    Bristol-Myers — NDA Organization

1980s

  1. Jan 1, 1986

    Earliest Phase 2 Sponsor(trial)

1990s

  1. Feb 22, 1996

    Upsher-Smith Laboratories — Marketing Organization

  2. Aug 15, 1996

    Epic Pharma Llc — Marketing Organization

  3. Aug 15, 1996

    Invatech — Marketing Organization

  4. Aug 15, 1996

    Allied Pharmaceutical Services — Marketing Organization

  5. Aug 15, 1996

    Sandoz — Marketing Organization

  6. Aug 15, 1996

    Chartwell Pharmaceuticals — Marketing Organization

  7. Oct 2, 1996

    Ani Pharmaceuticals — Marketing Organization

  8. Sep 30, 1998

    Teva — Marketing Organization

2000s

  1. Aug 26, 2005

    Endo Pharmaceuticals — Marketing Organization

  2. Aug 26, 2005

    Par Pharmaceuticals — Marketing Organization

2010s

  1. Jan 1, 2010

    Earliest Phase 1 Sponsor(trial)

  2. Apr 25, 2017

    Zydus Discovery DMCC — Marketing Organization

2020s

  1. Apr 6, 2020

    Ajanta Pharma Ltd — Marketing Organization

  2. Nov 12, 2020

    Precision Dose — Marketing Organization

  3. Oct 19, 2021

    Alkem Labs Ltd — Marketing Organization

  4. Oct 31, 2024

    Macleods Pharmaceuticals, Ltd — Marketing Organization

Indications

Mechanism of action

  • Bile acidsSEQUESTERING AGENT

    Bile acids sequestering agent

    Colestyramine is a bile acid sequestrant, which binds bile in the gastrointestinal tract to prevent its reabsorption. It is a strong ion exchange resin, which means it can exchange its chloride anions with anionic bile acids in the gastrointestinal tract and bind them strongly in the resin matrix. It forms insoluble complexes with bile acids in the intestine, which are then excreted in the feces. As a result of this loss of bile acids, more plasma cholesterol is converted to bile acids in the liver to normalise levels. This conversion of cholesterol into bile acids lowers plasma cholesterol levels.

    The functional group of the anion exchange resin is a quaternary ammonium group attached to an inert styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer.

Approval history

  • approvedAug 3, 1973

Chemistry & pharmacology

Loading structure…

SMILES

CCc1ccc(cc1)C(C)CCc2ccc(cc2)[N+](C)(C)C
Mol. weight
296.48 g/mol
Lipinski Ro5
1 violation(s)
Rule of 3
No
Chirality
Racemic Mixture
Inorganic
No
Polymer
No
Availability
Prescription Only

Oral

No

Parenteral

No

Topical

No

Sources

Also known as

  • a3384
  • a3384
  • cholestyramine
  • cholestyramine
  • cholestyramine
  • cholestyramine
  • cholestyramine
  • cholestyramine
  • cholestyramine
  • cholestyramine
  • cholestyramine chloride
  • cholestyramine resin
  • cholestyramine resin
  • cholestyramine resin
  • cholestyramine resin chloride
  • cholybar
  • colestyramin
  • colestyramine
  • colestyramine
  • colestyramine
  • colestyramine
  • duolite ap143 resin
  • questran
  • questran
  • questran
  • questran light
  • tang
  • tang

Clinical trials

NCT IDPhaseStart dateSponsor(s)
NCT06454383Phase 1May 13, 2024City of Hope National Medical Center, National Cancer Institute (NCI)
NCT05966727N/ADec 31, 2023University of Nice Sophia Antipolis
NCT06141473Phase 3Dec 13, 2023Sanofi
NCT05894928Phase 1Jun 7, 2023Eli Lilly, Loxo Oncology
NCT05577507Phase 4Mar 30, 2023Ain Shams University
NCT05443425Phase 1Dec 10, 2022City of Hope National Medical Center, National Cancer Institute (NCI)
NCT05014646Phase 2Nov 15, 2021City of Hope National Medical Center, National Cancer Institute (NCI)
NCT04335526N/AMay 1, 2020Seoul National University
NCT04235205Phase 2Feb 1, 2020EA Pharma Co., Ltd., Yokohama City University
NCT04046328Phase 2Sep 30, 2019Multispecialty Hospital Stanley Dudrick, Pharmasciences, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Solumed Centrum Medyczne
NCT03510715Phase 3Sep 3, 2018Regeneron, Sanofi
NCT03510884Phase 3May 31, 2018Regeneron, Sanofi
NCT03303053Phase 3May 11, 2017Clinical Research Centre, Malaysia, Government of Malaysia, University Putra Malaysia
NCT02890992Phase 2Sep 1, 2016Regeneron, Sanofi
NCT02249897Phase 4Jan 1, 2015Clinica Alemana de Santiago, University of Chile
NCT02046629Phase 1May 1, 2014Sanofi
NCT02078856Phase 2Mar 1, 2014Albireo
NCT01863888Phase 3Oct 1, 2013Sanofi
NCT02963077Phase 1Jul 1, 2013Albireo
NCT02942602N/AJun 1, 2013Yonsei University
Showing 20 of 29 trials
Page 1 / 2

Organizations

Research & Development (48)

OrganizationOrg typeTrialsAs lead sponsorPhasesEarliest year
SanofiFor profit7732010
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)Government4421971
City of Hope National Medical CenterAcademic/Hospital3322021
National Cancer Institute (NCI)Government3022021
RegeneronFor profit3022016
AlbireoFor profit2222013
Daiichi SankyoFor profit2012010
L-Marc Research CenterAcademic/Hospital2212010
Provident Clinical ResearchFor profit2012010
Ain Shams UniversityAcademic/Hospital1112023
Baylor UniversityAcademic/Hospital1011973
Biomedical Foundation for Cardiovascular Research of PadovaAcademic/Hospital1012010
Bio-Science LaboratoriesFor profit1011973
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Government1011973
Clinica Alemana de SantiagoAcademic/Hospital1012015
Clinical Research Centre, MalaysiaAcademic/Hospital1112017
EA Pharma Co., Ltd.For profit1012020
Eli LillyFor profit1112023
George Washington UniversityAcademic/Hospital1011973
Government of MalaysiaGovernment1012017
48 organizations
Page 1 / 3

Marketing (23)

OrganizationOrg typeRelationshipDate
Ajanta Pharma LtdFor profitMKTGApr 6, 2020
Alkem Labs LtdFor profitMKTGOct 19, 2021
Allied Pharmaceutical ServicesFor profitMKTGAug 15, 1996
Ani PharmaceuticalsFor profitMKTGOct 2, 1996
Ani PharmaceuticalsFor profitSYNOct 2, 1996
ApotheconFor profitMKTG
Bristol-MyersFor profitNDAAug 3, 1973
Bristol-Myers SquibbFor profitNDA2Aug 3, 1973
Chartwell PharmaceuticalsFor profitMKTGAug 15, 1996
Endo PharmaceuticalsFor profitMKTGAug 26, 2005
Epic Pharma LlcFor profitMKTGAug 15, 1996
Epic Pharma LlcFor profitSYNAug 15, 1996
InvatechFor profitMKTGAug 15, 1996
Macleods Pharmaceuticals, LtdFor profitMKTGOct 31, 2024
Par PharmaceuticalsFor profitMKTGAug 26, 2005
Parke-DavisFor profitMKTG
Precision DoseFor profitMKTGNov 12, 2020
SandozFor profitMKTGAug 15, 1996
TevaFor profitSYNJul 9, 1997
TevaFor profitSYNMay 28, 1998
TevaFor profitMKTGSep 30, 1998
Upsher-Smith LaboratoriesFor profitMKTGFeb 22, 1996
Zydus Discovery DMCCFor profitMKTGApr 25, 2017