FDA cautions on dose confusion and errors with Merck's Zerbaxa

21 May 2015

The US Food and Drug Administration is warning health care professionals about the risk for dosing errors with the antibacterial drug Zerbaxa (ceftolozane and tazobactam) due to confusion about the drug strength displayed on the vial and carton labeling.

Zerbaxa was developed by Cubist Pharmaceuticals, which was acquired by US pharma giant Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) in an $8.4 billion deal (acquisition (The Pharma Letter December 8, 2014), which completed in January. The drug, which was approved by the FDA last December, and Cubist’s antibiotic Cubicin (daptomycin) were the main attractions for the acquisition, intended to enhance Merck’s hospital acute care business.

Labelng revized

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