Cipro Alternatives Soothe Anthrax Fears, According to FIND/SVP.

Business Editors and Medical/Health Writers

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 9, 2001

As anthrax fears sweep the country, Cipro has mistakenly been portrayed as the only treatment for this potentially deadly disease. But "anthrax can be treated with a wide variety of antibiotics," says FIND/SVP healthcare expert Barbara Inglese. "Cipro is just one of many antibiotics that are effective against any potential anthrax outbreak." Penicillin, tetracycline and doxycycline are just a few of the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved drugs available for treating anthrax."

Soon after reports of the first anthrax infections, Cipro, manufactured by German pharmaceutical giant Bayer, was seen by a fearful public as the only cure for a potential anthrax epidemic. American and Canadian government officials negotiated with Bayer to produce hundreds of millions of Cipro doses, and sell them far below their normal cost.

"The initial fear that the anthrax strain was bio-engineered for resistance to older antibiotics led to a rush for Cipro, more commonly used as a powerful remedy for urinary tract and respiratory infections, and traveler's diarrhea," said Inglese, noting a surge of interest in anthrax in the 5,000 executive inquiries answered monthly by FIND/SVP, the leading business advisory service. "But laboratory analysis shows that these strains are not resistant to these antibiotics at all."

Drug manufacturers were quick to offer their antibiotics to the government after the initial reports. Lilly, Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, J&J, Merck, Aventis, Ivax and others announced their willingness to provide antibiotics known as anti-anthrax agents.

These facts have not been lost on government officials as they have been speeding up the approval process for other anthrax agents. On October 26th, IVAX Corporation was awarded a government contract to supply more than 1.2 billion tablets of the company's brand equivalent of doxycycline. Shortly before the contract was awarded, the FDA approved doxycycline for treating all forms of anthrax; inhaled, cutaneous and ingested. Bayer was one of the first to welcome this announcement, and said this should reassure the public that there are more than enough resources to treat an outbreak.

The Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) are currently working with the FDA and Health & Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson to determine the capabilities of antibiotics useful in fighting anthrax. In addition to those drugs already approved, they are also reviewing many newer antibiotics in the same class as Cipro, including Tequin, Levaquin, Augmentin, Biaxin and Cleocin.

Despite new reassurance that there will be enough antibiotics available to treat any anthrax outbreak, Inglese warns that taking antibiotics as a preventative for anthrax can be potentially dangerous because of the powerful nature of the drugs and their potential side effects. The FDA is trying to discourage the public from taking any antibiotic for the prevention of anthrax without the specific advice of a doctor and a clear indication that they may have been exposed to anthrax.

FIND/SVP has been helping executives make more informed decisions since 1969. Our healthcare and pharmaceutical consultants have over 100 years combined industry experience, and provide competitive intelligence and custom research to suit clients' individual needs. FIND/SVP is located in New York City. More information is available by calling 212-645-4500 or visiting http://www.findsvp.com.