Merck's Novel Antibiotic For Abdominal, Urinary Tract Infections Receives FDA Nod

Merck & Co., Inc. MRK continues to find success with its product pipeline, with another of its treatment options receiving FDA approval. 

Merck announced Wednesday that the FDA OK'd RECARBIO, a combination of imipenem, cilastatin and relebactam in a 1.25g injection formulation.

The drug is intended to treat patients 18 and older for complicated urinary tract infection, or cUTI — including pyelonephritis — caused by some susceptible gram-negative microorganisms and for which there is limited or no alternative treatment options.

The antibacterial medication is also indicated to treat complicated intra-abdominal infections.

"RECARBRIO offers an additional treatment option for patients with cIAI and cUTI who have limited and, in some cases, no alternative therapeutic options," Keith Kaye, a principal investigator of the clinical program that evaluated the antibiotic combo, said in a statement. 

Merck shares were trading higher by 0.42% at $81.93 at the time of publication Wednesday. 

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