Zeneca's Merrem Gets FDA Approval

Zeneca says its new broad-spectrum intravenous carbapenem antibiotic Merrem (meropenem) has been approved for the treatment of adults and children with certain serious bacterial infections by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Merrem is the first carbapenem antibiotic available in the USA that can be used in children and does not need to be administered with an enzyme to prevent its renal breakdown. It is used for complicated intra-abdominal infections in adults and children and for the treatment of bacterial meningitis in pediatric patients.

It does, nevertheless come in as a second carbapenem, challenging the position of the first, Merck & Co's Primaxin (imipenem), which has estimated annual sales of $135 million. Primaxin, however, has the disadvantage of having to be administered with an enzyme inhibitor.