Msd Italia announces that Zerbaxa * (ceftolozane / tazobactam) the molecule for the treatment of infections in adults – such as complicated intra-abdominal infections, acute pyelonephritis, complicated urinary tract infections and hospital-acquired pneumonia (Hap), including ventilator-associated pneumonia (Vap) – is again available to patients and the medical profession Italian. The unavailability of the drug was linked to a voluntary recall as a consequence of production problems encountered during the routine post-production tests now passed.
Nosocomial pneumonia – a note recalls – have long been the prevalent hospital infections in the United States (21.8%). Also in Italy, the most frequent infections are respiratory infections which, alone, represent 24% of all hospital infections. In the context of hospital pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PsA) is the most frequent pathogen, in particular PsA Multi Drug Resistant (MDR), which determines a greater risk of mortality, especially in hospital pneumonias that require mechanical ventilation (vHap ). Ceftolozano / tazobactam has been shown to be active against all the resistance mechanisms of PsA5 and is an important contribution that MSD offers in the fight against antimicrobial resistance, which is increasingly taking on the contours of a world-wide issue.
The discovery and use of new antibiotics is of fundamental importance both in terms of combating the phenomenon of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), in the context of Anti Microbial Stewardship (AMS) – one of the priority challenges for health systems – and in prediction of a possible new viral or bacterial pandemic wave.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Center of Disease Control (Ecdc) have classified antimicrobial resistance as one of the 10 global health threats of the 21st century, estimated to cause over 10 million deaths by 2050, making it the leading cause of death in the world. In addition, around 1.27 million people worldwide died from bacterial infections that subsequently became antibiotic-resistant in 2019. To these are added the 4.95 million deaths which, again in 2019, were associated with antimicrobial resistance.
Msd – the company note recalls – boasts a long history of therapeutic innovation in the prevention and treatment of all types of infections. The company has always been involved in numerous projects to combat antibiotic resistance, in partnership with the scientific and institutional world. Among these, on 9 July 2020, MSD joined the Amr Action Fund (www.AMRactionfund.com) – a historic alliance of over 20 pharmaceutical companies, which have created a 1 billion dollar fund, in which MSD participates. with a significant contribution of $ 100 million.
“We can all do something in the knowledge that we need to join forces to strengthen both the knowledge for the correct use of antibiotics and the innovation pipeline at a global level.“, He declares Nicoletta Luppi, President and CEO of Msd Italia. “As MSD we will always be at the forefront, alongside all the institutions – he continues – to promote information on the correct use of antibiotics. In addition to this, we continue to maintain our commitment to invest in research, without being satisfied with the exceptional goals we have achieved throughout our history, starting with penicillin, to identify and make available new antibiotics, effectively contributing to the fight against infections and ‘onset of resistance ”, he concludes.