Skip to main content

Zyvox FDA Alerts

The FDA Alerts below may be specifically about Zyvox or relate to a group or class of drugs which include Zyvox.

MedWatch Safety Alerts are distributed by the FDA and published by Drugs.com. Following is a list of possible medication recalls, market withdrawals, alerts and warnings.

Recent FDA Alerts for Zyvox

Linezolid Injection by Auromedics Pharma: Voluntary Recall 600mg/300mL flexible bags- Due to Presence White Particle Matter That Has Been Identified as Mold

Dec 26, 2017 | Audience: Risk Manager, Pharmacy, Nurse

ISSUE: AuroMedics Pharma is voluntarily recalling one lot of Linezolid Injection 600mg/300mL flexible bags, NDC 55150 -242 -51 batch CLZ160007 expiration August 2018 to the hospital level. This batch was distributed May 15 through August 14, 2017. The product was found to contain white particulate matter that has been identified as mold.

BACKGROUND: Linezolid injection is an oxazolidinone-class antibacterial indicated in adults and children for the treatment of the following infections caused by susceptible Gram-positive bacteria:

  • Nosocomial pneumonia

  • Community-acquired pneumonia

  • Complicated skin and skin structure infections, including diabetic foot infections, without concomitant osteomyelitis

  • Uncomplicated skin and skin structure infections

  • Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium infections. 

Linezolid injection is supplied as a ready-to-use sterile, clear colorless to slightly yellow color isotonic solution for intravenous infusion. Each 300 mL contains 600 mg of linezolid. Inactive ingredients are sodium citrate, citric acid, and dextrose in an aqueous vehicle for intravenous administration. The sodium (Na+) content is 0.38 mg/mL (5 mEq/300 mL bag). It is available in single-use, ready-to-use flexible plastic infusion bags in a foil laminate overwrap.

RECOMMENDATION: Healthcare professionals patients and consumers who have the product lot which is being recalled should immediately stop using and return to place of purchase/contact their doctor as appropriate.

Healthcare professionals and patients are encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of these products to the FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:

[12/22/2017 - Recall Notice - FDA]

Zyvox (linezolid): Drug Safety Communication - Serious CNS Reactions Possible When Given to Patients Taking Certain Psychiatric Medications

Oct 21, 2011 | Audience: Infectious Disease, Psychiatry, Family Practice

[UPDATED 10/21/2011] The FDA updated information on the potential drug interaction between linezolid and serotonergic psychiatric medications. Not all serotonergic psychiatric drugs have an equal capacity to cause serotonin syndrome with linezolid. Most cases from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) of serotonin syndrome with linezolid occurred in patients taking specific serotonergic psychiatric drugs, namely a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) or a serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). It is unclear at this time whether linezolid administration in patients receiving other psychiatric drugs with lesser degrees of serotonergic activity poses a comparable risk.

FDA will update the public when new information is available.

[Posted 07/26/2011]
 

ISSUE: FDA has received reports of serious central nervous system (CNS) reactions when the antibacterial drug linezolid (Zyvox) is given to patients taking psychiatric medications that work through the serotonin system of the brain (serotonergic psychiatric medications. A list of the serotonergic psychiatric medications that can interact with linezolid can be found in the Drug Safety Communication. Safety information about this potential drug interaction and important drug usage recommendations for emergency and non-emergency situations are being added to the drug labels for serotonergic psychiatric medications and linezolid.

BACKGROUND: Linezolid is used to treat infections, including pneumonia, infections of the skin, and infections caused by a resistant bacterium (Enterococcus faecium). It is a reversible monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI). Although the exact mechanism of this drug interaction is unknown, linezolid inhibits the action of monoamine oxidase A — an enzyme responsible for breaking down serotonin in the brain. It is believed that when linezolid is given to patients taking serotonergic psychiatric medications, high levels of serotonin can build up in the brain, causing toxicity. This is referred to as Serotonin Syndrome — signs and symptoms include mental changes (confusion, hyperactivity, memory problems), muscle twitching, excessive sweating, shivering or shaking, diarrhea, trouble with coordination and/or fever.

A separate Drug Safety Communication (DSC) is being released today for methylene blue due to similar potential drug interactions with serotonergic psychiatric medications and includes drug usage recommendations.

RECOMMENDATION: Linezolid should generally not be given to patients taking serotonergic drugs. However, there are some conditions that may be life-threatening or require urgent treatment with linezolid such as when:

  • Linezolid is used to treat vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) infections.
  • Linezolid is used to treat infections such as nosocomial pneumonia and complicated skin and skin structure infections, including cases caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).


Patients should not stop taking their serotonergic psychiatric medicine without first talking to a healthcare professional. Read the Drug Safety Communication for other specific recommendations for Healthcare Professionals and for Patients.

Healthcare professionals and patients are encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of these products to the FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:


[10/21/2011 - Drug Safety Communication Update - FDA]
[07/26/2011 – Drug Safety Communication - FDA]

Zyvox (linezolid): Drug Safety Communication - Serious CNS Reactions Possible When Given to Patients Taking Certain Psychiatric Medications

Jul 26, 2011 | Audience: Infectious Disease, Psychiatry, Family Practice

ISSUE: FDA has received reports of serious central nervous system (CNS) reactions when the antibacterial drug linezolid (Zyvox) is given to patients taking psychiatric medications that work through the serotonin system of the brain (serotonergic psychiatric medications. A list of the serotonergic psychiatric medications that can interact with linezolid can be found in the Drug Safety Communication. Safety information about this potential drug interaction and important drug usage recommendations for emergency and non-emergency situations are being added to the drug labels for serotonergic psychiatric medications and linezolid.

BACKGROUND: Linezolid is used to treat infections, including pneumonia, infections of the skin, and infections caused by a resistant bacterium (Enterococcus faecium). It is a reversible monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI). Although the exact mechanism of this drug interaction is unknown, linezolid inhibits the action of monoamine oxidase A — an enzyme responsible for breaking down serotonin in the brain. It is believed that when linezolid is given to patients taking serotonergic psychiatric medications, high levels of serotonin can build up in the brain, causing toxicity. This is referred to as Serotonin Syndrome — signs and symptoms include mental changes (confusion, hyperactivity, memory problems), muscle twitching, excessive sweating, shivering or shaking, diarrhea, trouble with coordination and/or fever.

A separate Drug Safety Communication (DSC) is being released today for methylene blue due to similar potential drug interactions with serotonergic psychiatric medications and includes drug usage recommendations.

RECOMMENDATION: Linezolid should generally not be given to patients taking serotonergic drugs. However, there are some conditions that may be life-threatening or require urgent treatment with linezolid such as when:

  • Linezolid is used to treat vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) infections.
  • Linezolid is used to treat infections such as nosocomial pneumonia and complicated skin and skin structure infections, including cases caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).


Patients should not stop taking their serotonergic psychiatric medicine without first talking to a healthcare professional. Read the Drug Safety Communication for other specific recommendations for Healthcare Professionals and for Patients.

Healthcare professionals and patients are encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of these products to the FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:


[07/26/2011 – Drug Safety Communication - FDA]

Zyvox (linezolid)

Mar 16, 2007 | Audience: Infectious disease specialists, other healthcare professionals[Posted 03/16/2007] FDA notified healthcare professionals of new emerging safety concerns about Zyvox (linezolid) from a recent clinical study. This open-label, randomized trial compared linezolid to vancomycin, oxacillin, or dicloxacillin in the treatment of seriously ill patients with intravascular catheter-related bloodstream infections including those with catheter-site infections. Patients treated with linezolid had a higher chance of death than did patients treated with any comparator antibiotic, and the chance of death was related to the type of organism causing the infection. Patients with Gram positive infections had no difference in mortality according to their antibiotic treatment. In contrast, mortality was higher in patients treated with linezolid who were infected with Gram negative organisms alone, with both Gram positive and Gram negative organisms, or who had no infection when they entered the study.

Linezolid is not approved for the treatment of catheter-related bloodstream infections, catheter-site infections, or for the treatment of infections caused by Gram negative bacteria. If infection with Gram negative bacteria is known or suspected, appropriate therapy should be started immediately.

[March 16, 2007 - Drug Information Page - FDA]

More Zyvox resources