Post 7: What is the real problem when developing new antibiotics? 💊
Published:
Today in research ironies: it is very common to hear the phrase “we need to find new antibiotics, because the ones we have no longer work”. And yes, that’s a reality. However, developing a new antibiotic costs around 1.5 billions dolars, and there seems to be no return on investment to think that it is a viable investment.
For example, in 2018 in the USA, the antibiotic with the highest sales (Ceftaroline) generated $138 millions, while the non-antibiotic with the highest sales (Adalimumab) generated 13.68 billions dolars.
¯_(ツ)_/¯
So that’s why there are no new antibiotics and it is economically more viable to develop other drugs.
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