San Diego-based Optimer Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:OPTR]]) said today it has filed an application for approval in the European Union to start marketing fidaxomicin to treat C.difficile bacterial infections. The drug has passed a pair of pivotal clinical trials, showing that it was roughly equal to standard vancomycin therapy at curing patients initially, but the new treatment was better at preventing recurrences, which can be life-threatening. Optimer plans to seek FDA approval later in 2010.
Author: Luke Timmerman
Luke is an award-winning journalist specializing in life sciences. He has served as national biotechnology editor for Xconomy and national biotechnology reporter for Bloomberg News. Luke got started covering life sciences at The Seattle Times, where he was the lead reporter on an investigation of doctors who leaked confidential information about clinical trials to investors. The story won the Scripps Howard National Journalism Award and several other national prizes. Luke holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and during the 2005-2006 academic year, he was a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT.
View all posts by Luke Timmerman
