Tigecycline: in community-acquired pneumonia
Kate McKeage1, Gillian M Keating
1Wolters Kluwer Health, Adis, Auckland, New Zealand. demail@adis.co.nz
Drugs
|December 20, 2008
Summary
Tigecycline, an antibacterial, is effective for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in adults. Clinical trials show it is not inferior to levofloxacin, offering a new treatment option for CAP.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Infectious Diseases
- Clinical Microbiology
Background:
- Tigecycline is a first-in-class glycylcycline antibiotic designed to overcome tetracycline resistance mechanisms.
- Currently approved for complicated intra-abdominal and skin infections, its efficacy for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in adults is under evaluation.
- Tigecycline exhibits broad-spectrum activity against common respiratory pathogens and possesses favorable pharmacokinetic properties, including a prolonged post-antibiotic effect and lung tissue penetration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the efficacy and tolerability of tigecycline in the treatment of hospitalized adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).
Main Methods:
- Two well-designed Phase III clinical studies were conducted.
- Hospitalized adult patients with CAP were treated with tigecycline (100 mg initially, then 50 mg every 12 hours for 7-14 days) or levofloxacin.
- Efficacy was evaluated based on clinical cure rates in clinically evaluable and modified intent-to-treat populations.
Main Results:
- Tigecycline demonstrated non-inferiority to levofloxacin in treating CAP.
- Clinical cure rates for tigecycline were 89.7% (clinically evaluable) and 81.0% (modified intent-to-treat).
- Tigecycline was generally well tolerated by patients with CAP.
Conclusions:
- Tigecycline is a safe and effective treatment option for hospitalized adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia.
- The drug's efficacy and tolerability profile support its use as an alternative to levofloxacin for CAP.
- Tigecycline's activity against resistant pathogens makes it a valuable addition to the treatment armamentarium for respiratory tract infections.
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