J&J launches Doribax in UK

Belgian Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen-Cilag has launched its new carbapenem antibiotic Doribax (doripenem for injection) for the treatment of complicated intra-abdominal infections, as well as nosocomial and ventilator-associated pneumonia, on the UK market. The drug is a broad-spectrum antibiotic with activity against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens. The approval follows a European Medicines Agency's (EMEA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) recommendation (Marketletter June 9). Elsewhere, the US Food and Drug Administration has requested more information on the product before it can be approved (Marketletter September 1).