Astrazeneca progresses with treatment for antibioitc-resistant infections

19th Aug 2014 08:35

Astrazeneca has reported progress in studies of its antibiotic drug that could be used in hospitalised adult patients with complicated intra-abdominal infections.The studies into ceftazidime-avibactam (CAZ-AVI), known as reclaim-1 and reclaim-2, are examining whether the combination of a new generation drug used with an established treatment for serious infections can be used to treat a broad range of bacterial infections that are becoming resistant to antibiotics. The addition of avibactam protects ceftazidime from being broken down by certain products of resistant bacteria, it explained. "We are very encouraged by these results which highlight the potential for CAZ-AVI to provide a much-needed new treatment option for serious and life-threatening intra-abdominal infections, especially where antibiotic resistance poses a threat to treatment," said Briggs Morrison, the executive vice president of the global medicines development division at Astrazeneca.Astrazeneca said the studies could form the basis of regulatory submissions seeking approval for a broader range of indications and that European Union filing is expected in the first quarter of 2015 following full analysis of the data from the studies. Studies exploring the use of CAZ-AVI in complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI), nosocomial pneumonia and for the treatment of certain other patients with ceftazidime-resistant infections are already underway. The group holds the global rights to commercialise CAZ-AVI, with the exception of North America. The drugs developer also announced that the US Department of Justice had closed its investigation into one of its clinical trials examining a potential drug treatment for sufferers of acute coronary syndrome. The shares price rose 0.63% to 4,228p in the first few minutes of trade. NR