Oritavancin Injection
Oritavancin injection is an antibacterial medicine used to treat acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections caused by certain gram-positive bacteria, available as Kimyrsa and Orbactiv.
🧬 Where this information comes from Click to expand
The clinical label records used on this page are FDA-filed Structured Product Labeling (SPL) retrieved through openFDA. We identified 2 clinical label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, strengths, and NDC product-record counts are built separately from matching FDA National Drug Code Directory records. The linked DailyMed document is a representative official source for verification, not the page’s only clinical source. View the linked label on DailyMed →
📖 Oritavancin Injection: Patient Information Guide
A plain-language walkthrough of Oritavancin Injection — what it treats, how it works, how it’s taken, side effects, warnings and interactions. Tap any section to expand it.
🎯What it's used for▾
Oritavancin injection is an antibacterial medicine approved for adults with serious bacterial skin infections. Both Kimyrsa and Orbactiv share the same core indication.
- Orbactiv and Kimyrsa are each indicated to treat acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) in adults caused by susceptible gram-positive bacteria, including:
- Staphylococcus aureus — including methicillin-resistant strains (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible strains
- Streptococcus pyogenes, S. agalactiae, S. dysgalactiae
- Streptococcus anginosus group
- Enterococcus faecalis (vancomycin-susceptible strains only)
- Should only be used when a bacterial infection is proven or strongly suspected, to help prevent antibiotic resistance
⚙️How it works▾
Oritavancin is a lipoglycopeptide antibacterial — a type of antibiotic that targets gram-positive bacteria. Its effectiveness is linked to how much drug is present in the body over time compared to the amount needed to stop bacterial growth. Animal and clinical studies support a single-dose treatment approach for clinically relevant gram-positive organisms causing skin infections.
Laboratory studies suggest oritavancin inhibits several liver enzymes (CYP450 pathways), which can affect how other drugs are processed in the body. It does not interfere with the heart's electrical system in any clinically meaningful way at the recommended dose.
💊How it's taken▾
Both Kimyrsa and Orbactiv are given as a single intravenous (IV) dose by a healthcare provider — meaning the full course of treatment is typically just one infusion. Orbactiv is infused over 3 hours; Kimyrsa is infused over 1 hour. These two products have different preparation instructions and are not prepared or administered the same way. Since this is a one-time hospital or clinic infusion, there is no at-home dosing schedule or missed-dose concern for most patients.
🤒Side effects — in detail▾
The most common side effects reported in clinical trials include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Headache
- Diarrhea
- Abscess (skin or limb)
- Dizziness
- Fast heart rate (tachycardia)
- Elevated liver enzymes (seen on blood tests)
- Reactions at the IV infusion site, such as redness or irritation
More serious reactions — including severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), infusion reactions with chest or back pain, bone infection (osteomyelitis), and C. difficile-related diarrhea — require immediate medical attention.
⚠️Warnings & precautions▾
- Lab test interference: Oritavancin falsely elevates several clotting tests (aPTT for up to 5 days, PT/INR for up to 12 hours, ACT for up to 24 hours) — not because it affects actual clotting, but because it interferes with the lab reagents. This means IV heparin is contraindicated for 5 days after Orbactiv, and warfarin monitoring is unreliable for up to 12 hours.
- Serious allergic reactions: Anaphylaxis has been reported. Tell your care team immediately if you experience swelling, hives, or difficulty breathing during the infusion.
- Infusion reactions: Flushing, rash, itching, chest pain, back pain, chills, or tremors can occur — slowing or stopping the infusion may help.
- C. difficile diarrhea: As with any antibiotic, a gut infection caused by Clostridioides difficile is possible — even weeks after treatment. Report severe or persistent diarrhea to your doctor.
- Osteomyelitis (bone infection): More cases were observed in Orbactiv-treated patients in clinical trials compared to the comparator. If bone infection is suspected, a different antibiotic should be used.
- Blood transfusion interference: Oritavancin can cause a positive Coombs test (antiglobulin test), which may interfere with blood cross-matching before a transfusion.
🔀What it interacts with▾
Oritavancin can interact with several medications, mainly by affecting how the body processes other drugs or by interfering with certain lab tests:
- IV unfractionated heparin: Contraindicated for 5 days after Orbactiv — oritavancin falsely elevates the aPTT test used to monitor heparin dosing
- Warfarin: PT/INR tests are unreliable for up to 12 hours after a dose; patients should be monitored closely for signs of bleeding
- Drugs metabolized by CYP450 liver enzymes: Oritavancin is a weak inhibitor or inducer of several CYP isoforms (including CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP3A4, CYP2D6), which can raise or lower levels of co-administered medications; your healthcare team should review all medications
- Blood transfusion cross-matching: A positive Coombs test caused by oritavancin can interfere with pre-transfusion blood compatibility testing — alert any transfusion team to recent oritavancin use
This is not a complete list of interactions. Always talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
📋Before taking it▾
- Tell your doctor about any known allergy to oritavancin or other glycopeptide antibiotics (such as vancomycin or telavancin) — this medication is contraindicated if you have a known hypersensitivity to oritavancin products
- Tell your doctor if you take warfarin or any anticoagulant (blood thinner)
- Tell your doctor if you have severe kidney or liver problems — oritavancin has not been fully studied in these patients
- Tell your doctor if you are pregnant — no adequate human studies exist; animal studies at doses up to 25% of the clinical dose showed no harm, but higher doses were not tested
- Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding — oritavancin appears in animal milk; the effect on breastfed infants is unknown
- Not approved for children under 18 years of age
- Older adults (65+) were not studied in large numbers; greater sensitivity cannot be ruled out
- Patients on dialysis: oritavancin is not removed by hemodialysis; use in dialysis patients has not been specifically studied
🚑If you take too much▾
No accidental overdoses were reported in clinical trials of Orbactiv. Oritavancin is unlikely to be removed from the blood by hemodialysis. If an overdose occurs, supportive medical care should be provided.
📡Pharmacodynamics — effects in the body▾
Oritavancin's antibacterial activity is related to the total amount of drug the body is exposed to over time, relative to how much is needed to inhibit bacterial growth (expressed as the AUC/MIC ratio). A single dose is supported by both animal and clinical studies for treating gram-positive skin infections. In a dedicated cardiac safety study, oritavancin at doses above the recommended level did not meaningfully prolong the QTc interval (the heart's electrical recovery time), suggesting a low risk of heart rhythm effects at therapeutic doses.
🔬Pharmacokinetics — how your body processes it▾
After a single IV infusion, oritavancin spreads widely into body tissues — about 85% is bound to proteins in the blood. It is not broken down (metabolized) by the body and is slowly excreted unchanged in urine and feces. Oritavancin has an exceptionally long half-life of approximately 245 hours (about 10 days), which is why a single dose can treat the entire infection. Kimyrsa infused over 1 hour and oritavancin (Orbactiv) infused over 3 hours achieve similar overall drug exposure (AUC), though peak concentrations differ. No dose adjustment is needed for mild-to-moderate kidney or liver impairment; the drug's behavior in severe impairment has not been fully studied.
📦How to store it▾
KIMYRSA is supplied as a sterile white to off-white or pink lyophilized powder in single-dose clear glass vials containing 1,200 mg of oritavancin. stored at 20ºC to 25ºC (68ºF to 77ºF); excursions permitted to 15ºC to 30ºC (59ºF to 86ºF) .
📄 Written from Oritavancin Injection’s FDA-approved label information, summarized in plain language with AI, and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Every point is grounded in that labeling — nothing is invented. How we use AI →
Supplements & herbs that interact with Oritavancin Injection
48 supplements and herbal products have documented interactions with Oritavancin Injection in the licensed clinical database we use. Most are manageable — but your pharmacist should know about everything you take, including vitamins and herbals.
- Moderate · 47
- Minor · 1
Educational information from a licensed clinical database (Natural Medicines) — see our data sources & update cadence. Not medical advice: an interaction being documented does not mean it will happen to you; do not start or stop medications or supplements without professional guidance.
Nutrient depletion considerations
Oritavancin Injection has been associated with lower levels of 7 nutrients in the clinical literature. This does not mean a deficiency will occur — it means these may be worth discussing with your pharmacist or healthcare provider, especially with long-term use.
- Higher significance · 6
- Moderate · 1
Educational information from a licensed clinical database (Natural Medicines) — not medical advice. Do not start or stop medications or supplements without professional guidance.
🩺 Pharmacist Counseling Corner
Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Oritavancin Injection — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.
Why is this just one IV infusion — is that really enough to treat my infection? ▾
What side effects should I watch out for after the infusion? ▾
I take warfarin every day — is that a problem with this medication? ▾
I heard you can't use heparin after this — why? ▾
Is it safe to have this if I'm pregnant or breastfeeding? ▾
Kimyrsa and Orbactiv — are they the same thing? Does it matter which one I get? ▾
Is Oritavancin Injection available over the counter? ▾
When was Oritavancin Injection first available? ▾
Who makes Oritavancin Injection? ▾
💬 Answers drafted from Oritavancin Injection’s FDA-approved label information, summarized in plain language with AI, and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Grounded in that labeling — nothing is made up. How we use AI →
🧰 Keep exploring
💊 How Oritavancin Injection comes
Oritavancin Injection is available in 1 form. Different forms and brands can have different approved uses, doses, schedules, and directions. Follow the instructions for your exact product, and do not switch forms without guidance from your prescriber or pharmacist.
Injection
How this form is used
- Orbactiv is used to treat acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) in adults caused by susceptible gram-positive bacteria, including MRSA
- Kimyrsa is used to treat acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) in adults caused by susceptible gram-positive bacteria, including MRSA
- Orbactiv is administered as a single intravenous dose infused over 3 hours; it must be diluted only in 5% dextrose (D5W) — never sodium chloride
- Kimyrsa is administered as a single intravenous dose infused over 1 hour
- Orbactiv requires reconstitution of three separate 400 mg vials before dilution; follow preparation instructions carefully as they differ from Kimyrsa
- Orbactiv diluted solution must be used within 6 hours at room temperature or within 12 hours if refrigerated, including infusion time
📊 Oritavancin Injection across the U.S. market
How Oritavancin Injection appears in the FDA’s National Drug Code Directory — including its dosage forms, strengths, brand names, manufacturers, and FDA-listed product records. These are directory records, not sales or prescription volume.
Share of FDA-listed product records by manufacturer — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.
📈 How widely Oritavancin Injection is used
A general measure of how commonly Oritavancin Injection is prescribed, based on Medicaid — one of the largest public drug programs. The figure below is prescriptions filled in Q1–Q4 2025, summed across every form and brand of the drug.
Think of this as a proxy for how widely Oritavancin Injection is used, drawn from freely available public data. Medicaid is just one program — these numbers don’t include Medicare, other government coverage, or commercial and cash-pay prescriptions, so real-world use is higher than what’s shown here.
How commonly is Oritavancin Injection prescribed? Of the 1,596 medications we measure, Oritavancin Injection ranks #1,518 by Medicaid prescriptions — more than 5% of them.
Utilization by Oritavancin Injection product
Pick a product to see its own Medicaid numbers. Each chip is one clinical product — a specific strength & dosage form as defined by RxNorm — with brand-name and generic versions combined.
oritavancin 1200 MG Injection
Summed across the 1 of 1 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 2532361
Shares are of the Medicaid prescriptions shown here. Product grouping follows RxNorm (the National Library of Medicine’s drug terminology), so “one product” means one strength & dosage form regardless of manufacturer. Dollar figures are gross Medicaid reimbursement before mandatory rebates — rebates (often large, especially for brand-name drugs) are confidential, so actual net cost to Medicaid is lower than shown.
Source: Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data (CMS), aggregated by generic ingredient — summed across every NDC (all brands, strengths, salt forms and dosage forms) of Oritavancin Injection, and across all states and both fee-for-service and managed-care claims. A general popularity signal; it excludes Medicare, commercial insurance and cash prescriptions, so it is not total U.S. use. Based on the 1 of 1 listed Oritavancin Injection NDCs with Medicaid activity.
🔍 Compare Oritavancin Injection products
A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Oritavancin Injection — across manufacturers, strengths, and dosage forms, grouped by form with each product’s manufacturer and how the FDA approved it. The same medicine may be made and packaged by different companies, so a single drug can have many directory entries. (It’s also why a refill can look different — a new shape, color, or box — even though it contains the same medication.)
| Strength | Route | Manufacturer / Labeler | Category ⓘ | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 💊Injection | ||||
| 400 mg | Intravenous | Melinta Therapeutics, LLC × 3 listings | NDA | View NDC → |
| 1200 mg/40 mL | Intravenous | Melinta Therapeutics, LLC × 3 listings | NDA | View NDC → |
| 400 mg | — | Patheon Italia S.p.A | DRUG FOR FURTHER PROCESSING | View NDC → |
| 1200 mg/40 mL | — | Patheon Italia S.p.A. | DRUG FOR FURTHER PROCESSING | View NDC → |
Showing 8 of 8 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 8 Oritavancin Injection NDCs →
📈 What people report — real-world data (FDA FAERS)
After a medicine reaches the market, patients, doctors and drugmakers can send the FDA reports of problems they think may be linked to it. Here’s what’s been reported for Oritavancin Injection — a signal of what to watch for, not proof the drug caused it.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). These are voluntary reports — they don’t prove the drug caused the effect, and counts reflect how often something was reported, not how often it actually happens. Reports also often name the very problem the medicine is taken for — a common reason to file one is that the drug didn’t help — so for a pain reliever you may see “pain” high on the list; that points to why the report was filed, not to the drug causing the symptom. This counts every report that lists Oritavancin Injection in any role, so the total runs higher than the FDA’s official dashboard, which counts only cases where the drug is the suspect. For the authoritative figures, see the FDA FAERS Public Dashboard. Always talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
🏛️ The road to your pharmacy
How Oritavancin Injection went from FDA review to the pharmacy shelf — the key milestones in its regulatory journey.
Source: Drugs@FDA.
🚨 Recall history
A recall is when a specific batch of a medicine is pulled from the market — usually a manufacturing issue, not a problem with the drug itself. Class I is most serious, Class III least.
Source: openFDA drug enforcement (recall) reports.
RxNorm Concept Web — From Ingredient to Every Form and Strength
This page starts with one ingredient concept (IN). The branches below show its dose-form concepts (SCDF), then the available clinical drug and strength concepts (SCD). Combination products remain separate concepts with their own pages.
RxCUI 1547611 1 dose form · 2 strengths
-
Dose form (SCDF) Injection RxCUI 1724161In current FDA listings
Look up RxCUI 1547611 in the RxCUI Atlas →
RxNorm is the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s normalized drug vocabulary. Its concept hierarchy can include forms that are not currently marketed; the status on each branch compares that concept with current FDA listings. RxCUIs identify vocabulary concepts, not individual packages or manufacturers.
📦 Supply & shortage status
Whether Oritavancin Injection is in short supply in the U.S. right now, plus any shortage history the FDA has on record. A shortage usually reflects a manufacturing or demand issue — not a safety problem with the drug.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Drug Shortages database.
🏷️ Sold under these brand names
🏭 Manufacturers & labelers
RxNorm drug class
Oritavancin Injection belongs to the Lipoglycopeptide Antibacterial class.
Classified by RxNorm RxClass — the U.S. National Library of Medicine's standardized drug-classification service (Established Pharmacologic Class from the FDA, the ATC drug family from the WHO, and mechanism of action). Reference only, not medical advice.
🔬 Where this comes from
Core label, product, RxNorm, safety, and utilization data on this page come from the sources identified below. AI-written, editorial, and licensed sections are labeled separately.
How we combine label and product data
HelloPharmacist combines public FDA and NLM records; we don’t author the underlying clinical facts. We identified 2 FDA-filed SPL label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. The representative label is the starting point for the displayed reference monograph; the 12 largest stored in-scope SPL records, which may include that representative, are compared section by section, and the longest available version of each section is retained. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, product-listed strengths, and product-record counts are aggregated separately from ingredient-matched FDA NDC Directory records; package records listed above are associated with the linked SPL; and the normalized concept hierarchy comes from NLM RxNorm.
Where a section is identified as AI-written, its plain-language text is generated from bounded label evidence. New draft drug pages remain in the admin review queue before first publication. Melinta Therapeutics, LLC is the representative DailyMed label linked for verification and dates; it is not the sole source used for the page.
This is general education, not medical advice — always consult your doctor or pharmacist about your medications and any medical condition. For the exact wording of the linked representative label, view that label on DailyMed; some displayed composite sections may come from other in-scope SPL labels. Learn how we use AI and our data sources & update cadence.