Clarithromycin (Biaxin) extended-release tablet: a therapeutic review.

Clarithromycin (Biaxin) extended-release tablets, an advanced generation macrolide, were recently introduced into the USA for the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, community-acquired pneumonia and acute maxillary sinusitis. The reformulation is intended to improve both patient compliance and tolerability. The extended-release tablets allow convenient once-daily dosing (1000 mg). The extended-release formulation has been shown to be equivalent to the immediate-release formulation concerning area under the plasma concentration time curve. In comparative clinical trials for acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, community-acquired pneumonia and acute maxillary sinusitis, clarithromycin extended-release tablets were equivalent to the immediate-release formulation concerning clinical efficacy and bacterial eradication, with improved gastrointestinal tolerability. Similar efficacy and gastrointestinal tolerability results were demonstrated in a recent comparative study of clarithromycin extended-release formulation and amoxicillin-clavulanate in patients with acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis. Clarithromycin extended-release 1000 mg daily has also been shown to be equivalent to levofloxacin 500 mg daily for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia in a recent study. The macrolide class of antimicrobials, including clarithromycin extended-release, continues to be a safe and efficacious choice for the out-patient management of community-acquired bacterial respiratory tract infections.