Anthrax future or investigational therapies

Given the safety and efficacy of current vaccines and antibiotics, there are not a large number of new agents under development to treat anthrax.

In recent years there have been many attempts to develop additional new drugs to prevent anthrax; however the existing supply of current antibiotics is effective if treatment is initiated soon after infection has occurred.

In May 2009, Human Genome Sciences submitted a Biologic License Application (BLA, permission to market) for its new drug, raxibacumab (brand name ABthrax) intended for emergency treatment of inhaled anthrax.^[1]