New Treatment Is Approved for a Variety of Respiratory Infections

The FDA recently approved telithromycin to treat acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, acute bacterial sinusitis, and mild-to-moderate community-acquired pneumonia in patients aged 18 and older. The drug is manufactured by Aventis under the brand name KETEK. According to Paul Iannini, MD, clinical professor of medicine at Yale University, "KETEK's innovative mechanism of action selectively targets common respiratory pathogens, including resistant strains, without significant effects on bacteria not normally involved in RTIs [respiratory tract infections]. This may be an important factor in minimizing the development of antibiotic resistance, a critical public health concern and one that I've seen in my clinical practice."

KETEK was first introduced in Europe, Latin America, and Asia and has been prescribed for >7 million patients. In its clinical trials, subjects taking KETEK reported side effects such as nausea, headache, dizziness, vomiting, and diarrhea.