Prescription medicine
Piperacillin and tazobactam Brand names: Zosyn
Piperacillin and tazobactam (Zosyn) is a prescription medicine with an FDA approval on record since 1993. FDA's NDC Directory lists it from 15 generic labelers, and pharmacies paid $3.49 per piperacil-tazobact 3.375 g vial in the October 7, 2026 NADAC survey.
- Generic listed
- A presentation discontinued
Check it at the source: the piperacillin and tazobactam FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 21, 2025, ONESOURCE SPECIALTY PHARMA LIMITED); the NDA 50684 record on Drugs@FDA; every piperacillin and tazobactam label on DailyMed.
Highlights of the record
FDA label of July 21, 2025; NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA and Orange Book, October 8, 2026; NADAC October 7, 2026
Used for
From the label: indications and usagePiperacillin and tazobactam for injection is a combination of piperacillin, a penicillin-class antibacterial and tazobactam, a beta-lactamase inhibitor, indicated for the treatment of: Intra-abdominal infections in adult and pediatric patients 2 months of age and older ( 1.1 ) Nosocomial pneumonia in adult and pediatric patients 2 months of age and older ( 1.2 ) Skin and skin structure infections in adults ( 1.3 ) Fe
Forms and strengths
- 2 g/10ml / 0.25 g/10ml
- 2 g / 0.25 g
- 2 g/50ml / 0.25 g/50ml
- 3 g/15ml / 0.375 g/15ml
- 3 g / 0.375 g
- 3 g/50ml / 0.375 g/50ml
- 4 g/20ml / 0.5 g/20ml
- 4 g / 0.5 g
- 4 g/100ml / 0.5 g/100ml
- 4.5 g/180ml / 36 g/180ml
- 12 g/60ml / 1.5 g/60ml
- 12 g/100ml / 1.5 g/100ml
Injection (powder) for solution; injection (powder) (lyophilized) for solution; injection (solution).
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- October 22, 1993 Zosyn, Wyeth Pharms; Drugs@FDA’s file, where older or withdrawn approvals can be missing
- Generic approvals
- 21 first September 15, 2009; 16 with a marketed status in Drugs@FDA
- Labelers listed (NDC)
- 18 of which 15 under generic applications, 3 under brand applications, repackagers included
Supply and safety
- Pharmacy cost (NADAC)
- $3.49 per vial Piperacil-tazobact 3.375 g vial
- Shortage (FDA)
- None current 1 past records
- Recalls by its makers (FDA)
- 17 since 2013 6 Class I among all firms' recalls; latest May 15, 2023; 2 more by firms not listed as its makers
- FAERS reports
- 33,494 through July 30, 2026
What is piperacillin and tazobactam used for?
From the label: indications and usagePiperacillin and tazobactam for injection is a combination of piperacillin, a penicillin-class antibacterial and tazobactam, a beta-lactamase inhibitor, indicated for the treatment of: Intra-abdominal infections in adult and pediatric patients 2 months of age and older ( 1.1 ) Nosocomial pneumonia in adult and pediatric patients 2 months of age and older ( 1.2 ) Skin and skin structure infections in adults ( 1.3 ) Female pelvic infections in adults ( 1.4 ) Community-acquired pneumonia in adults ( 1.5 ) To reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of piperacillin and tazobactam for injection and other antibacterial drugs, piperacillin and tazobactam for injection should be used only to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by bacteria. […]
Conditions named in the indications of piperacillin and tazobactam's FDA labels, with every medicine labeled for each:
From other piperacillin and tazobactam labelsBacterial infections: … inhibitor, tazobactam, indicated for the treatment of patients with moderate to severe infections caused by susceptible isolates of the designated bacteria in the conditions listed below.
FDA pharmacologic class: Penicillin-class Antibacterial and beta Lactamase Inhibitor.
Source: FDA drug label (piperacillin and tazobactam), ONESOURCE SPECIALTY PHARMA LIMITED, effective July 21, 2025 (SPL set 28258745-12e4-4f0f-b318-4a1a1bebc928), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
Is there a generic for piperacillin and tazobactam (Zosyn)?
The FDA approved the first generic piperacillin and tazobactam on September 15, 2009. 21 generic applications are approved; 16 of them carry a current (not discontinued) marketing status in Drugs@FDA; that status is not evidence that the generic is on sale.
FDA's NDC Directory lists piperacillin and tazobactam from 15 labelers under a generic (ANDA) application and from 3 brand labelers. A listing means the company has registered the product for sale; it does not show that every pharmacy stocks it.
- 1993 earliest approval on file
- 2009 first generic approved
- red ticks recalls
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory and the Orange Book (openFDA bulk files, October 8, 2026)
What do pharmacies pay for piperacillin and tazobactam (Zosyn)?
In CMS's NADAC survey of October 7, 2026, pharmacies paid $3.49 per Piperacil-tazobact 3.375 g vial, down 2% from $3.57 on October 8, 2025. The chart's scale runs from the lowest to the highest price shown, not from zero. NADAC is what retail pharmacies paid their wholesalers, per unit, in CMS's monthly survey; what a patient pays depends on insurance and the pharmacy.
- Piperacil-tazobact 3.375 g vial (generic)
| Strength and form | Brand or generic | Pharmacy cost | 30 tablets, or one pen or vial | 12-month change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piperacil-tazobact 3.375 g vial | Generic | $3.49 per vial | n/a | -2% |
Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) survey, October 7, 2026: what retail pharmacies paid per unit; not a counter price
Is piperacillin and tazobactam in shortage?
No piperacillin and tazobactam presentation is listed as in shortage in the FDA Drug Shortage Database (read October 8, 2026); its 1 record is all marked to be discontinued, the latest updated January 20, 2026. ASHP keeps a separate shortage list, which can differ.
| Presentation | Company | Status | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piperacillin and Tazobactam, Injection, 2.25 g vial (NDC 65219-434-20) | Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC | To Be Discontinued | January 20, 2026 |
Every piperacillin and tazobactam presentation in the FDA shortage database
Source: FDA Drug Shortage Database via openFDA, updated October 8, 2026
Has piperacillin and tazobactam been recalled?
The FDA's Enforcement Report lists 19 recalls naming piperacillin and tazobactam since 2013: 6 Class I (the most serious), 13 Class II, 0 Class III; 0 still ongoing. 2 of them are by firms that FDA's NDC Directory does not list as a maker of piperacillin and tazobactam and that hold no application for it in Drugs@FDA, such as compounding pharmacies or bulk-ingredient suppliers; the recall notice names the product recalled. A recall names products and lots, not every product of the medicine.
| Started | Class | Company | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2023 | Class II | Astral SteriTech Private Ltd. | Lack of Assurance of Sterility |
| December 27, 2022 | Class II | Sentara Infusion Services not a listed maker | Lack of sterility assurance |
| July 2, 2018 | Class I | AuroMedics Pharma LLC | Presence of Particulate Matter: identified as glass and silicone material |
| May 8, 2018 | Class I | Apotex Inc. | Subpotent Drug: High Levels of Impurities Resulting in Decrease Potency |
| May 1, 2018 | Class I | AuroMedics Pharma LLC | Presence of Particulate Matter: confirmed customer report for presence of visible particulate matter, confirmed as glass |
| November 10, 2015 | Class II | Walgreens Infusion Services not a listed maker | Lack of Assurance of Sterility |
| May 10, 2013 | Class I | Apotex Corp. | Crystallization: Potential to exhibit precipitation/crystallization in IV bag or IV line upon reconstitution. |
| March 18, 2013 | Class I | Apotex Corp. | Crystallization: Potential to exhibit precipitation/crystallization in IV bag or IV line upon reconstitution. |
Source: FDA Enforcement Report (drug recalls) via openFDA, through October 8, 2026
What does the piperacillin and tazobactam label say about other medicines?
The piperacillin and tazobactam label names 8 other medicines in its interaction, contraindication or warning sections. The labels of 2 other medicines name piperacillin and tazobactam. The sentences are the labels' own; a label lists what its studies and reports found, not every interaction.
| Medicine named | Section | What the label says |
|---|---|---|
| Amikacin | drug interactions | Piperacillin and tazobactam is compatible with amikacin and gentamicin for simultaneous Y-site infusion in certain diluents and at specific concentrations. |
| Gentamicin | drug interactions | Piperacillin and tazobactam is compatible with amikacin and gentamicin for simultaneous Y-site infusion in certain diluents and at specific concentrations. |
| Heparin | drug interactions | Monitor kidney function in patients receiving piperacillin and tazobactam and vancomycin. ( 7.3 ) Monitor coagulation parameters in patients receiving piperacillin and tazobactam and heparin or oral anticoagulants. … |
| Methotrexate | drug interactions | Limited data suggests that co-administration of methotrexate and piperacillin may reduce the clearance of methotrexate due to competition for renal secretion. |
| Probenecid | drug interactions | Monitor tobramycin concentrations in these patients. ( 7.1 ) Probenecid prolongs the half-lives of piperacillin and tazobactam and should not be co-administered with piperacillin and tazobactam unless the benefit outweighs the risk. … |
| Tobramycin | drug interactions | DRUG INTERACTIONS Piperacillin and tazobactam administration can significantly reduce tobramycin concentrations in hemodialysis patients. |
| Vancomycin | drug interactions | … tazobactam unless the benefit outweighs the risk. ( 7.2 ) Co-administration of piperacillin and tazobactam with vancomycin may increase the incidence of acute kidney injury. |
| Vecuronium | drug interactions | … heparin or oral anticoagulants. ( 7.4 ) Piperacillin and tazobactam may prolong the neuromuscular blockade of vecuronium and other non-depolarizing muscle relaxants. |
Source: FDA drug label (piperacillin and tazobactam), ONESOURCE SPECIALTY PHARMA LIMITED, effective July 21, 2025 (SPL set 28258745-12e4-4f0f-b318-4a1a1bebc928), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What do FAERS reports show for piperacillin and tazobactam?
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System holds 33,494 reports that list piperacillin and tazobactam among the medicines taken, through July 30, 2026, each a report of something that happened, not proof the medicine caused it; 7,155 are coded as a death and 19,903 as a hospital stay. Counts follow how widely a medicine is used and watched, and they are not a measure of how risky it is.
Reports received each year
The most reported reactions
Source: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) via openFDA, reports through July 30, 2026
What else is labeled for the same conditions as piperacillin and tazobactam?
20 other medicines are given the same way (intravenous) and in the same FDA class as piperacillin and tazobactam or labeled mainly for the same use (bacterial infections), the same class first. Bacterial infections lists all 51 medicines labeled for it, by any route. The first 8 are below. They are listed as records, not as substitutes: whether one can replace another is a prescriber's decision.
| Medicine | Shared indication | Generic labelers (intravenous) | Pharmacy cost | Shortage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ampicillin | Bacterial infections | 11 labelers | n/a | A presentation being discontinued |
| Ampicillin and sulbactam | Bacterial infections | 7 labelers | n/a | No current entry |
| Penicillin g | Bacterial infections | 6 labelers | n/a | No current entry |
| Vancomycin | Bacterial infections | 21 labelers | $2.31 per vial 500 mg vial | A presentation being discontinued |
| Levofloxacin | Bacterial infections | 8 labelers | n/a | No current entry |
| Clindamycin | Bacterial infections | 6 labelers | n/a | In shortage |
| Linezolid | Bacterial infections | 9 labelers | n/a | No current entry |
| Cefoxitin | Bacterial infections | 5 labelers | n/a | No current entry |
Every medicine labeled for the same conditions as piperacillin and tazobactam
Source: FDA drug labels (indications), NDC Directory, NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages (October 8, 2026)
How does piperacillin and tazobactam compare with medicines for the same use?
1 side-by-side page set piperacillin and tazobactam beside a medicine whose label shares a use: approvals, generics, pharmacy cost, warnings and supply.
What next?
- Alternatives to piperacillin and tazobactam
- 20 medicines for the same use
- Other penicillins
- the pharmacologic class, with prices and generics
- Piperacillin and tazobactam side effects
- the label's list beside FAERS reports
- Piperacillin and tazobactam shortage record
- every presentation, company and date
- Check an interaction
- what two or more labels say about each other