AstraZeneca consolidates anti-infectives portfolio

Bangalore, Mar 3 (UNI) AstraZeneca AB today announced the acquisition of Vancocin CP (Vancomycin) Trademark for India and Nepal from Eli Lilly.

Vancocin CP, widely considered the treatment of choice for resistant bugs called MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus), ideally complemented AstraZeneca's flagship brand Meronem, the ultra-broad spectrum antibiotic with proven efficacy against ESBL (Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase) producers, the company said in a release here.

''AstraZeneca already has a strong presence in the ICU set up with Meronem. Vancocin CP, with its strong brand equity and leadership position in the Indian market, is a perfect fit and will enhance and further strengthen our existing portfolio,'' AstraZeneca Managing Director Bhasker Iyer said.

An increasing incidence of ESBL and MRSA bugs in the ICU setting were constantly challenging clinicians. These bugs could be destroyed only by using special antibiotics reserved for serious infections. Unfortunately, these bugs were not easily detectable in routine laboratory tests, leading to treatment failure and deaths, the release said.

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