Tuesday, July 22, 2003

ALCON RECEIVES TWO INDICATIONS FOR EAR INFECTION TREATMENT CIPRODEX OTIC

Alcon Inc. received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for two separate indications for its pharmaceutical brand, Ciprodex Otic (ciprofloxacin and desamethasone).

The topical treatment is now indicated to treat acute otitis media with tympanostomy tubes, a middle ear infection, in children aged 6 months or older. Ciprodex Otic was also granted approval for the treatment of acute otitis externa, commonly referred to as swimmer's ear, in pediatric, adult and elderly patients.

Middle ear infections rank second to the common cold among causes of childhood illnesses annually, according to the company. In the United States, ear tube insertion is the most common surgery performed in children, with nearly 2 million tubes surgically inserted each year.

Ciprodex Otic is the first topical treatment to combine the antibacterial activity of ciprofloxacin with the anti-inflammatory properties of dexamethasone, Alcon said.

Ciprodex is licensed to Alcon by Bayer AG.