"Cempra Inc moved a step closer to approval of its lead antibiotic solithromycin after an oral version of the potential blockbuster met the main goal in a latestage trial. The drug is a nextgeneration version of a class of oftprescribed antibiotics called macrolides which are used to fight pathogens that cause communityacquired bacterial pneumonia CAPB. CAPB is the leading cause of death emanating from an infection and is characterized by shortness of breath cough and fever with about  million cases in the United States per year. An oral formulation of solithromycin was as effective as Bayer AGs moxifloxacin in evoking a clinical response at  hours after dosing  the studys main goal. Data showed solithromycin actually outperformed moxifloxacin by a slight margin Cempra said on Sunday. The drugs impressive safety profile particularly its low degree of gastrointestinal toxicity drew praise from Bairds Brian Skorney who raised his price target on the stock by  to . Priorgeneration macrolides have triggered safety concerns in the past including Sanofi SAs telithromycin which was associated with liver toxicity and Pfizer Incs azithromycin which has been linked with heart risk. The unparalleled rate at which the oral version of solithromycin is absorbed in the blood or its oral bioavailability differentiates it from standard treatments Chief Executive Prabha Fernandes told Reuters in an interview in November. Jefferies analysts have previously noted a bioavailability of  percent for solithromycin versus  percent for azithromycin a sign of superior effectiveness and lower rates of resistance. North Carolinabased Cempra is also evaluating an intravenous formulation of solithromycin for CAPB. The drug is also the first pediatric antibioticindevelopment in nearly three decades according to Fernandes. In the face of escalating antimicrobial resistance investors have showered interest on the antisuperbug drugmaker following Merck  Cos announcement to acquire Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc as Big Pharma revives investment in antibiotic research. While Cempra has said it plans to stay independent the company is not averse to acquiring other molecules after filing to market solithromycin Fernandes said. We can always get a gramnegative drug  that would be nice to add to the portfolio to be a really full blown antiinfective company and then we need to find a partner Solithromycin is commercially licensed to Fujifilm Holdings Corp in Japan. The stock closed at . on the Nasdaq on Friday."