Schering Plough’s Avelox efficacy

A study of the Schering-Plough drug Avelox has revealed that a single 400mg dose of the drug is as effective as a high dose combination of levofloxacin plus ceftriaxone at treating severe community-acquired pneumonia (Cap).

The company has said that results from the Motiv clinical study have shown that once-daily monotherapy using Avelox showed no significant difference in clinical cure rates and both the monotherapy and the dual therapy methods had similar adverse event profiles.

“The results of the Motiv study are important because community-acquired pneumonia is a particular concern for people with chronic illnesses or impaired immune systems, and is a common cause of hospitalisation worldwide,” said Dr Antoni Torres, professor of pulmonology at the University of Barcelona in Spain.

“Cap can critically affect older patients who may be struggling with existing conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. These results provide additional evidence that Avelox is a safe and effective treatment for patients with Cap.”

According to Schering-Plough, over 5.5 million adults in the United States are affected every year by Cap, with those over 65 years of age 60 per cent more likely to develop the condition.

It is the fifth leading cause of death among people over 65 years old.

© Adfero Ltd