Novel beta-Lactams

Abstract

The beta-lactam class constitutes the largest group of antimicrobial agents, which includes penicillins, cephalosporins, monobactams, and carbapenems. These compounds, which have in common the beta-lactam ring in their structure, are the most prescribed antibiotic class due to their clinical efficacy and safety. This article reviews the beta-lactam compounds which have been recently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (US-FDA) or have reached at least phase III of development. We also discuss ME1036, a carbapenem with anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) activity, which is in phase 11 of development. An important advance in the beta-lactam field was the development of cephalosporins and carbapenems with potent anti-MRSA activity such as ceftobiprole, ceflaroline and ME1036. This manuscript also reviews data on doripenem, a new 1-beta-methyl carbapenem that shows potent in vitro activity against Gram-positive and -negative pathogens, and a low propensity to select for in vitro resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and, Enterobacteriaceae. In addition, doripenem showed to be a safe and effective drug in phase III clinical trials that resulted in its recent US-FDA approval. Although ME1036 is still in phase II of development its data was included in this revision since it is one of the first carbapenems to demonstrate anti-MRSA in vitro activity and efficacy in animal models of MRSA infection.