TUESDAY, June 14, 2005 (HealthDay News) --
Pfizer's Zmax -- a single-dose, long-lasting version of the antibiotic azithromycin -- has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Zmax therapy for patients with sinusitis or community-acquired pneumonia involves only a single dose of the drug. Within 24 hours, the amount of drug delivered to the body is three times higher than a standard dose of immediate-release azithromycin, Pfizer said. Clinical trials showed it was as effective as similar treatments that must be taken for seven to 10 days, a company statement added.
This method of "front-loading" the drug, when disease-causing bacterial levels are highest, "may minimize the emergence of antibiotic resistance," the statement said.
Side effects reported during clinical testing included diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, headache and vomiting, the company said.
Visit the National Library of Medicine to learn more about sinusitus.
