Singapore’s MerLion Starts Phase II European Finafloxacin Trials

MerLion will enroll as many as 258 patients across centers in Germany and Poland for patients requiring hospitalization for urinary tract infections and pyelonephritis, positive signs for a drug in-licensed by Alcon for North America.

SINGAPORE – MerLion Pharmaceuticals Pte. Ltd. started Phase II trials of novel antibiotic finafloxacin, to treat patients requiring hospitalization with complicated urinary tract infections and pyelonephritis. The company is broadening applications of the compound from abscesses and deep wounds to chronically infected tissues and stomach mucosa.

Demand for such products can be seen in China, where anti-infectives are the largest drug class, reaching RMB 71.5 billion ($11.1 billion) in 2010 with a 17.3% annual growth rate,...

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