Toyama Chemical Co.'s new antibiotic for upper and lower respiratory infections may be approved in Japan as early as September, giving doctors an additional weapon against drug-resistant bacteria.
The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry may approve the medicine between September and November, Toyama spokesman Yoshinobu Izumi said Monday. Tests on the drug, known by its chemical name garenoxacin, showed it was better able to fight bacteria than other drugs in the same group of antibiotics known as quinolone.
Once approved, it will be sold jointly in Japan with Tokyo-based Taisho Pharmaceutical Co. and Astellas Pharma Inc.
Toyama will also seek approval to sell garenoxacin as a treatment for urinary tract and skin infections. It already sells the quinolone antibiotics Ozex and Pasil.