Single dose of azithromycin cures respiratory IIIs: microsphere drug led to better outcomes in pneumonia, sinusitis, and bronchitis.(News)

Publication: Internal Medicine News

Publication Date: 15-DEC-04

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COPYRIGHT 2004 International Medical News Group

WASHINGTON -- Single-dose therapy is now feasible for bacterial respiratory tract infections, a strategy that's expected to substantially improve patient compliance with treatment.

A new formulation of azithromycin that binds the drug to microspheres made single-dose therapy safe and effective in treating mild to moderate community-acquired pneumonia, acute bacterial sinusitis, and acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, according to three reports at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.

The results of the studies--all sponsored by Pfizer, which markets azithromycin (Zithromax)--have been submitted to the Food and Drug Administration as part of a licensing application for the microsphere formulation.

"The big advantage is compliance," said Marcus J. Zervos, M.D., an infectious diseases physician at William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Mich., and lead...

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