Russia expands the range of drugs for the treatment of cystitis

Russian urologists now have a new antibacterial drug by Petrovax for the treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Reflamaid^® (fosfomycin) helps to cope with acute and recurrent forms of cystitis. A single dose of the drug provides clinical and microbiological efficacy comparable to longer-term antibacterial therapy^[1]. Fosfomycin characteristically exhibit low level of resistance from E. coli among the antibiotics used in Russia for the treatment of UTIs^[2].

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the third most common infectious disease^[3] and the first most common cause of antibacterial drug prescriptions^[4]. Cystitis is one of the most common infectious and inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract. In Russia alone, 26–36 million cases of cystitis are registered^[5].

Frequent prescription of antibiotics for UTIs may lead to the development of antibiotic resistance. “Antimicrobial resistance undermines modern medicine and puts the lives of millions of people at risk,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus^[6].

Data from the international NoDARS study confirms the high level of resistance of E. coli to a wide range of antibiotics.^[2]. At the same time, E. coli is highly sensitive to fosfomycin^[7][8], which is one of the few drugs to which the overall level of resistance of E. coli in Russia was 1.3%^[2].

Single use of the drug is comparable with comparison regimens in terms of clinical, microbiological efficacy and safety profile in women with acute uncomplicated cystitis^[9].

Antibacterial therapy with Reflamaid^® (fosfomycin) is indicated for acute bacterial cystitis, bacterial nonspecific urethritis, postoperative UTIs, as well as for the prevention of infections during surgical interventions on the urinary tract and during transurethral diagnostic studies^[10].