FDA formally withdraws SaraFlox

Washington-The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially withdrewthe approval of two new animal drug applications sponsored by Abbott Laboratories.

The approvals were originally issued for the use of sarafloxacin to treatpoultry.

Withdrawal of the approvals was effective April 30, 2001.

Once FDA announced its intention to ban fluoroquinolone approvals fromthe poultry market altogether, Bayer contested the proposed withdrawal ofits product Baytril from the poultry market late last year, as reportedin DVM Newsmagazine. FDA has not yet made its ruling.