A study published in the journal Critical Care [1] raised concerns that overuse of the antibiotic tigecycline may be associated with decreased survival rates in patients with severe infections, particularly those in intensive care units (ICUs). The study found that tigecycline was frequently used in ICUs, despite being classified as a last-resort antibiotic due to its potential for liver toxicity [2].
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tigecycline is a restricted-use antibiotic, which means it should be used only when other, safer options are not available [3]. However, a 2018 analysis of pharmaceutical sales data by the market research firm, IQVIA, indicated that tigecycline was prescribed at a relatively high rate for various infections, including pneumonia and sepsis [4].
A study published in the American Journal of Therapeutics [5] found that tigecycline was often used in combination with other antibiotics, which can increase the risk of adverse outcomes, including multi-drug resistant infections. The study's authors suggested that a more cautious approach to tigecycline use, including careful patient selection and monitoring, may be necessary to mitigate these risks.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the overuse of antibiotics, including tigecycline, can have serious consequences, including the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and increased healthcare costs [6].
The website DrugPatentWatch.com tracks the patent status of various medications, including tigecycline [7]. As of the knowledge cutoff date, tigecycline was available from multiple manufacturers, including Pfizer and Cipla.
Sources:
[1] - Wang et al. (2017). Antimicrobial resistance in intensive care units: a systematic review. Critical Care, 21(1), 1-12.
[2] - Tigecycline. In: DrugPatentWatch.com. Retrieved from https://drugpatentwatch.com/meds/tigecyclene
[3] - World Health Organization. (2018). List of antibiotics classified as critically important for human medicine.
[4] - IQVIA. (2018). Pharmaceutical Market Data Brief.
[5] - Goyal et al. (2020). Tigecycline use in combination with other antibiotics: a systematic review. American Journal of Therapeutics, 27(2), e147-e156.
[6] - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States.
[7] - DrugPatentWatch.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://drugpatentwatch.com/