GlaxoSmithKline plc Sponsored ADR (GSK.US) and its partner Spero (SPRO.US) saw a surge in pre-market trading as a result of the early termination of the antibiotic trial with positive outcomes.

GlaxoSmithKline plc Sponsored ADR (GSK.US) has stopped the trial of oral antibiotics for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections after positive trial results, with hopes that the drug could replace commonly used intravenous antibiotics. GlaxoSmithKline plc Sponsored ADR announced on Wednesday that the antibiotic tebipenem HBr, developed by the company and Spero Therapeutics (SPRO.US), was found to be as effective as intravenous antibiotics in late-stage trials. As of press time, Spero Therapeutics' stock rose by 225%, while GlaxoSmithKline plc Sponsored ADR fell by nearly 1%. GlaxoSmithKline plc Sponsored ADR plans to submit an application for approval in the United States later this year and will present the full results at an upcoming scientific conference. Complicated urinary tract infections can lead to sepsis, and many patients require hospitalization for intravenous antibiotic treatment. It is estimated that these infections result in an economic burden of over $6 billion in the United States. Previously, GlaxoSmithKline plc Sponsored ADR received approval in the United States this year for oral antibiotics for the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections, marking the first antibiotic approval in nearly thirty years. Due to intense market competition, most pharmaceutical companies have stopped developing antibiotics, making GlaxoSmithKline plc Sponsored ADR one of the few large companies still active in this field. In 2022, GlaxoSmithKline plc Sponsored ADR reached an agreement with Spero, prepaying $66 million and making various milestone payments, including $150 million for the delivery of late-stage trial results. It is understood that if the trial results are clear enough, the pharmaceutical company will stop the trial early to expedite the approval process and avoid control group patients receiving less effective treatment for an extended period of time.