UPDATE 4-Antibiotics can harm tendons, U.S. FDA warns

(Adds Bayer comment paragraph 18)

By Susan Heavey

WASHINGTON, July 8 (Reuters) - Certain antibiotic drugs such as Bayer AG's (BAYG.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) Cipro need stronger "black box" warnings about the risk of tendinitis and ruptured tendons, U.S. health regulators said on Tuesday.

The warnings also would apply to Bayer's Avelox, Oscient Pharmaceuticals Corp's (OSCI.O: Quote, Profile, Research) Factive and Depomed Inc's (DEPO.O: Quote, Profile, Research) Proquin XR.

They would also affect Johnson & Johnson's (JNJ.N: Quote, Profile, Research) Levaquin and Floxin and Merck & Co Inc's (MRK.N: Quote, Profile, Research) Noroxin. The drugs are members of a family known as fluoroquinolones.

Cipro is sold by various generic makers as ciprofloxacin and Floxin is sold generically as ofloxacin.

Labels for the antibiotics already include cautions about the tendon problems. Despite those warnings, "the FDA continues to receive a considerable number of reports of tendon-related adverse events," Edward Cox, director of the agency's antimicrobial products office, told reporters.

"The FDA believes that these new labeling changes will better inform health-care providers and patients about the risk," Cox said.

The risk is greater in patients ages 60 and older, those who have had certain organ transplants and those using steroid therapy, the agency said. It added that doctors should restrict use of the drugs to conditions clearly caused by bacteria.