FDA approves new antibiotic to treat community-acquired pneumonia

The Food and Drug Administration yesterday approved a new antibiotic to treat adults with community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. The antibiotic, Xenleta, received priority review under an FDA Safety and Innovation Act designation for drug products intended to treat serious or life-threatening infections. About 1 million people are hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia annually in the United States. “For managing this serious disease, it is important for physicians and patients to have treatment options,” said Ed Cox, M.D., director of FDA’s Office of Antimicrobial Products. “This approval reinforces our ongoing commitment to address treatment of infectious diseases by facilitating the development of new antibiotics.”