Kesin Pharma has announced the availability of a liquid suspension of antibiotic drug metronidazole to treat patients with bacterial infections.
Marketed as Likmez 500mg/5mL, the drug is the first-ever ready-to-use oral suspension of metronidazole to receive US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval.
The medication requires no refrigeration. Offered in a strawberry peppermint flavour, it has a shelf life of two years. The most common adverse reactions to Likmez include nausea, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Through a partnership with Saptalis Pharmaceuticals, Kesin is the exclusive US commercialisation partner for Likmez. New York-based Saptalis Pharmaceuticals specialises in the development and manufacturing of generic and branded products in liquid and semi-solid dosage forms.
Metronidazole is used to treat skin infections, rosacea, and mouth infections, including infected gums and dental abscesses. It's also used to treat conditions such as bacterial vaginosis and pelvic inflammatory disease.
Following the approval, Kesin Pharma president and CEO Narasimhan Mani said: “Likmez is for patients and providers who need a liquid option for those faced with adherence obstacles due to taste sensitivities or difficulty swallowing. An increasing number of patients can benefit from a safe and efficacious product that can support medication adherence.”
Antibiotic misuse is a major contributor to antibiotic resistance, a global health crisis. By making antibiotics more accessible to patients with certain needs, proper antibiotic use can be encouraged. A GlobalData analyst highlighted that the United Nations predicts annual worldwide deaths due to drug-resistant bacteria will exceed ten million by 2050.
GlobalData is the parent company of Pharmaceutical Technology.
In 2021, Saptalis received FDA approval for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for Levocarnitine oral solution 1gm/10mL to treat patients with carnitine deficiency. The company commercialised the product in collaboration with TruPharma.
