FDA approves MiddleBrook's amoxicillin drug for strep throat

By Margarita Snegireva. Federal regulators have approved MiddleBrook Pharmaceuticals’ amoxicillin treatment for strep throat, capping eight years of ups and downs that nearly sank the company.

Photo: FDA approves MiddleBrook's amoxicillin drug for strep throat

The approval of Moxatag for adolescents and adults, which could shift how one of the more commonly prescribed antibiotics is used, is a win not only for the Germantown company but also for the Maryland biotechnology industry, which has had few products reach the market in recent years despite spending heavily on research.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval means that patients need to take only one Moxatag pill a day to get rid of the bacteria responsible for strep throat, compared with the traditional antibiotic, penicillin, taken four times a day, both over a period of 10 days.