LAVAL, Que. -- Valeant Pharmaceuticals (VRX.TO) said Monday it has grown the sales force at its Salix drug business by about 250 people over the past three months.

The company, based in Laval, Que., said the 40 per cent increase to its existing sales staff will help grow market share and build relationships with doctors that may prescribe its gastrointestinal drugs.

One of the Salix drugs, Xifaxan, is for treating irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea. Another Salix gastrointestinal drug, Relistor, is for treating opioid-induced constipation.

Valeant purchased Salix in April 2015 for US$11.1 billion. It wrote down Salix's value in November by US$1.05 billion in the third quarter.

In December, Valeant CEO Joseph Papa said the company would try to expand the sale of prescriptions for products like Xifaxan by launching a program directed at primary care physicians.