Nafithromycin, a suucessful Antibiotic in 30 years for treatment of pneumonia, says the drugmaker
Drugmaker Wockhardt seems poised to unveil a “promising antibiotic” to treat pneumonia, Nafithromycin WCK 4873. And the development comes at a time, the global medical community grapples with anti-microbial resistance (AMR).
As was highlighted during the World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week that was observed recently (Nov 18-24), antibiotic resistance has touched alarming proportions, and policymakers need to wake up to the worsening situation. Once-powerful antibiotics are losing their efficacy at a disconcerting pace as bacteria evolve immunity to our drugs. At least 700,000 people around the world now die each year from infections that could formerly be treated with antibiotics and it is estimated by 2050 that such diseases could cause 10 million deaths per year.
International organisations are therefore united in a demand for urgent action against such a devastating crisis and are calling for investment into research and development for new technologies to combat antimicrobial resistance. The menace has to be tackled at local, national and global levels.
Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria become resistant owing to overuse of antibiotics. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been called one of the greatest threats to human health that has significant public health consequences unless we all come together and work to keep the remaining antibiotics effective through their rational use.
Announcing completion of the Phase III pneumonia study, Wockhardt said, Nafithromycin (WCK 4873) was comparatively evaluated in a multi-centre double blind study against the last-line respiratory antibiotic Moxifloxacin. The results revealed, “an ultrashort course of three-day treatment with Nafithromycin is as effective as seven-day therapy with Moxifloxcain.,” it said.
The Nafithromycin findings are a major advancement in 30 years of pneumonia treatment, making it an effective and safe option to use in the community, against resistant organisms, said Wockhardt.
The company will apply for regulatory approvals in India shortly, and expects to launch by mid-2024. It has an existing licensing deal with Jemincare, China for development and commercialization in Greater China, according data shared with investors. Shares of Wockhardt Ltd. surged 18.80% to a near two-year high on Monday, as it successfully completed phase-3 pneumonia study of macrolide antibiotic Nafithromycin.
Overuse of antibiotics in humans and animals causes AMR that is now a major public health crisis. Scientists have warned that the world is on the cusp of a post-antibiotic era, with extremely resistant bacteria that are also called superbugs. An estimated 700,000 deaths occur each year worldwide due to AMR.
