MSD India, a wholly owned subsidiary of US drug maker Merck & Co. Inc., has launched Invanz in the Indian pharmaceutical market. Invanz is a broad-spectrum, injectable, carbapenem antibiotic developed and marketed by the Merck & Co. Inc.
Invanz is a highly effective drug in the treatment of patients who have developed resistance to antibiotics and therefore is a true response to the global problem of drug resistance. Bacteria have the ability to produce enzymes which can destroy more class of antibiotics defined as the Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase (ESBLs) and AMP C Beta Lactamase.
"The launch of Invanz in India is part of Merck's continued commitment to introducing medicines recognized by the medical community globally as key products for changing the course of diseases. Invanz is key especially in the treatment of patients of who have developed resistance to a wide spectrum of anti-microbial agents and whose infections have become life threatening" said, Murali Parthasarathy, business unit director, MSD India.
The production of ESB Ls and ACBLs is the common mechanisms of resistance observed among bacteria causing serious infections. The incidence in India has been documented as early as 2002 to be as high as 68 per cent, which is amongst the highest in the world. In India, a World Health Organization (WHO) study reveals that hospital infection rate is over 25 per cent, which is an alarmingly high percentage. Hospital Acquired Infections kill more people than any other form of accidental death.
Invanz is a prescription drug used in the therapy of bacterial infections and is indicated for the treatment of moderate-to-severe infections caused by susceptible isolates of the designated microorganisms. It works by killing bacteria by acting on certain proteins in the bacterial cell. Carbapennem the key component of Invanz makes the drug highly effective against pathogens of the gram-positive, gram-negative as well as aerobic and anaerobic spectra.
Invanz comes in approved for use in 1 gm parenterally once daily in adults and has been shown to be efficacious and generally well tolerated. The US FDA approved Invanz on November 21, 2001 and by the European Union (EU) on April 18, 2002. To achieve this approval, 3, 949 subjects/ patients were enrolled in clinical studies in phase I-III.
Invanz is available in over 40 countries and has sold of over $100 million vials worldwide in 2007, according to Merck. Being sensitive to the high multi drug resistance and identifying potential solutions to manage them is certainly the need of the hour. This is best done by recognizing how to diagnose the infection (hospital or community relates) and then decide on the treatment option. In the Indian context because of low prices of antibiotics, it is more expensive to diagnose the ailment correctly vis-à-vis prescribing treatment.