In an unexpected move, Merck discontinued an important antibiotic from the U.S. market earlier this month, underscoring concerns about the commitment large pharmaceutical companies are willing to make to a field that is crucial to public health.
The drugmaker is no longer supplying Recarbrio, which was approved seven years ago and is used to treat serious infections in adults and children, such as pneumonia that develops from a hospital or ventilator, as well as complicated urinary tract and stomach infections in patients with limited or no alternative treatment options.
The company did not explain its decision, but the antibiotic — a three-drug combination injection — was pegged from the outset as a treatment of last resort by the Food and Drug Administration in hopes of mitigating antibiotic resistance. However, this also limits market and sales potential. Merck did not disclose Recarbrio sales in its regulatory filings.
