Merck Launches New Posaconazole Intravenous Formulation in China for Invasive Fungal Infections

On December 21, 2022, MSD announced that the injectable form of its antifungal drug Noxafil® (posaconazole) was officially launched in China for the prevention of invasive aspergillosis and candidiasis and the treatment of invasive aspergillosis [1].

To date, all three formulations of Noxafil®—oral suspension, enteric-coated tablets, and injection—have been approved for marketing in China. The posaconazole oral suspension can be used to prevent invasive aspergillosis and candidiasis infections and to treat oropharyngeal candidiasis. Both the posaconazole enteric-coated tablets and the posaconazole injection can be used to prevent invasive aspergillosis and candidiasis infections and to treat invasive aspergillosis.

Anna Tian, Senior Vice President of MSD Global and President of MSD China, stated that the launch of this new injectable formulation expands the range of formulations for Noxafil® in China, which will better assist doctors in flexibly meeting the medical needs of different patients. From prevention to treatment, it supports the clinical development of a one-stop fungal infection management solution. As one of the global leaders in the field of anti-infectives, MSD will continue to actively address various severe infectious disease challenges, continuously promote drug innovation, and rapidly introduce more diverse and cutting-edge disease solutions to China, fulfilling the varied medical needs of patients.

In recent years, with the widespread use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, tumor chemotherapy, hematopoietic stem cell and solid organ transplantation, glucocorticoids, and immunosuppressants, the incidence of invasive fungal diseases has been on the rise. Invasive fungal diseases commonly occur in the fields of hematology, intensive care medicine (ICU), transplantation, respiratory, and infectious disease treatment. High-risk populations include allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients, patients with structural lung diseases or influenza complications, critically ill ICU patients, and cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy or chemotherapy who have weakened immune systems. Currently, the most common invasive fungal diseases in clinical practice are candidiasis and aspergillosis, with mortality rates as high as 40% and 80%, respectively, making them a global public health concern.

Professor Minggui Wang from the Antibiotics Research Institute of Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, stated that in China, invasive fungal diseases also pose significant challenges in clinical treatment [4], with poor patient prognosis [6]. Since its market launch in 2013, posaconazole has become one of the weapons in our fight against fungal infections. The recent market launch of the posaconazole injection will provide a broader range of dosage forms for clinical use, offering new treatment options for patients who are not suitable for oral administration, and aiding clinicians in systematically addressing the complex and severe challenges posed by fungal infections.

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