Wockhardt’s novel antibiotic Zaynich (WCK 5222) has enabled another cancer patient in the US to undergo a successful liver transplant and resume chemotherapy by eradicating dual extreme-drug resistant Gram-negative pathogens, the Mumbai-based drugmaker said.

Zaynich (Zidebactam/Cefepime, WCK 5222) helped the patient at Houston Methodist Hospital, Texas, by “clearing a chronic bile duct infection, facilitating liver transplant leading to her discharge from the hospital,” a note from Wockhardt said. In the US, compassionate use approvals are provided by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the form of individual patient-specific expanded-access IND, the drugmaker explained.

The development sent Wockhardt shares soaring, on Monday at ₹1,528.10, up 9.40 per cent, on the BSE.

The patient, a 73-year-old female with bile duct cancer diagnosed in January 2024, had been undergoing chemotherapy and biliary stent placement, the note said. Citing the treating doctor, it explained that the “patient failed to respond to >6 weeks of treatment with high-end antibiotics available in US such as cefiderocol and eravacycline. Thus, the treating team was left with no other option but to deploy Zidebactam/Cefepime (WCK 5222) under compassionate use.”

45 patients benefited

Two weeks of treatment with Zaynich helped control infectious processes and cleared the way for the transplant in this patient, the company said, adding that till date 45 patients had benefited from the compassionate use of Zidebactam/Cefepime.

The novel proprietary antibiotic is nearing completion of its Phase III study which would support its registration/marketing authorisation efforts globally, it said. Previously, multiple Phase I studies including clinical pharmacology studies with zidebactam/cefepime were conducted in the US. The drug is also undergoing a clinical study in India for the treatment of carbapenem-resistant infections, the company said.