Pfizer’s new blood infection drug Eraxis approved

pharmafile | February 23, 2006 | News story | Research and Development  

Eraxis, a new treatment for potentially life-threatening fungal infections has been approved in the US.

Pfizer's new antifungal is licensed to treat candidemia, the most dangerous of the common hospital-acquired bloodstream infections, with a mortality rate of around 40%, and around 60,000 cases each year in the US alone.

The company enjoyed huge success with Diflucan (fluconazole) which is widely used in the therapy area, and reaching peak sales of $1.17 billion before generic competitors were launched in 2004/5.

Pfizer hopes the new drug can follow in the footsteps of Diflucan and has carried out head to head studies between the drugs, and said the trials showed Eraxis to have clearly superior efficacy.

"In the clinical trial setting, patients taking Eraxis for the treatment of candidemia had improved efficacy versus those taking fluconazole, making Eraxis an important addition to the options in antifungal treatment," said Dr. Annette Reboli, head of the division of infectious diseases at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, New Jersey, and lead clinical investigator.

In addition, Eraxis has been shown to have a safety profile comparable to fluconazole and to be compatible with many medicines commonly used by patients with candidemia who have other serious health complications.

Eraxis was added to Pfizer's antifungal portfolio when it acquired US speciality pharma business Vicuron in September 2005.

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