EU drugs regulator backs Almirall's Constella for irritable bowel LONDON (Reuters) - The European Medicines Agency has recommended Almirall SA's Constella as the first medicine for approval in Europe for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use said Constella should be authorized for adults with moderate to severe IBS with constipation, a common form of the disease. IBS is a long-term disorder of the gut that causes intestinal pain, bloating, constipation or diarrhea. It affects up to 20 percent of the population in the western world, but until now no medicines have been authorized in the EU to treat it specifically. Treatments are currently limited to modifying lifestyle to reduce stress or alter the diet, or laxatives and anti-diarrhea drugs. Reporting by Chris Wickham