Ventrus Biosciences Inc.

Like other start-up companies working to develop drugs for GI disorders, Ventrus Biosciences was attracted to the sector not only by unmet clinical needs and the focused sales opportunities, but also by the potential for creating a cross-over success: a drug that launches as a prescription product but eventually leaps over the counter to become a blockbuster, á la Claritin. Ventrus has two drug candidates ready for Phase III testing: a topical gel formulation of diltiazem, a generic vasodilator, as a treatment for anal fissures, and a novel compound it hopes will become the first new product approved for hemorrhoids in 30 years.