Zemdri

Zemdri (plazomicin) is approved to treat [complicated urinary tract infections], including infections that affect the kidneys. Because Zemdri (plazomicin) can cause many serious side effects, such as kidney damage and hearing loss, it's usually only used when there aren't any other options available. For example, it might be used to treat a a severe infection from resistant bacteria and when other antibiotics either can't be used or haven't worked well.

Zemdri (plazomicin) is an aminoglycoside antibiotic. It works by preventing bacteria from making certain proteins, which stops them from being able to survive and spread throughout your body.

Zemdri (plazomicin) is given as an infusion through the veins (IV) by a healthcare provider in the hospital. Your provider will determine your dose based on your body weight. Typically, you'll receive an infusion of Zemdri (plazomicin) daily. You might receive it every other day if your kidneys aren't working well. The infusion takes about 30 minutes. The length of treatment typically ranges from 4 to 7 days, depending on where and how serious your infection is.

Zemdri (plazomicin) has black box warnings for some potentially serious risks. One serious side effect Zemdri (plazomicin) can cause is kidney damage. Your provider will measure the health of your kidneys before and during treatment with Zemdri (plazomicin) and will adjust your dose or stop treatment all together if your kidney problem worsens. In addition, Zemdri (plazomicin) can cause hearing problems (e.g., hearing loss, ringing in the ears) and vertigo (dizziness). You're more likely to experience these if you've a family history of hearing loss, poor kidney function, or are receiving Zemdri (plazomicin) at high doses for long periods of time. Let your provider know if you have any hearing problems while receiving Zemdri (plazomicin) because they'll likely need to stop treatment. Other serious problems Zemdri (plazomicin) can cause include muscle weakness and harm to unborn babies if taken by mothers during pregnancy.

Side effects seen in people taking Zemdri (plazomicin) include kidney problems, diarrhea, changes in blood pressure, headache, nausea, and vomiting. However, these side effects weren't common and were experienced by about 1-4% of people during clinical trials. Your provider will monitor you while you're in the hospital and will adjust your dose if you're having side effects.