Zavicefta includes ceftazidime, an antibiotic belonging to the class of third generation cephalosporins already approved for use in the EU. Cephalosporin resistance is of growing concern and the addition of Zavicefta which uses avibactam to restore activity in ceftazidime, is a step in the right direction against antimicrobial resistance.
Zavicefta is being jointly developed by AstraZeneca and Allergan, and shows the importance of collaboration in the sector to help tackle the issue of antimicrobial resistance. The current annual death toll related to antimicrobial resistance is expected to rise from 700,000 to 10 million by 2050, at a global cost of US$100 trillion between now and then.