EU Spurns Gilead’s Aztreonam

Luke Timmerman3/20/09

Gilead Sciences, the Foster City, CA-based biotech company that has a research center in Seattle, said a scientific committee of the European Union adopted a negative opinion of its aztreonam lysine drug. The treatment, an inhalable antibiotic for cystic fibrosis developed by Seattle-based Corus Pharma, was turned down by the FDA last fall. EU regulators said Gilead needs more evidence about long-term benefits, repeated treatments in different age groups, and risk of bacterial resistance, said Thomas Russo, an analyst with Robert W. Baird.

Luke Timmerman is the National Biotech Editor of Xconomy, and the Editor of Xconomy Seattle. E-mail him at ltimmerman@xconomy.com or follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ldtimmerman.