Cefiderocol to treat complicated urinary tract infection

On November 14, 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved cefiderocol, a siderophore-cephalosporin conjugate antibiotic, for the treatment of adults with complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs), including kidney infections caused by susceptible Gram-negative microorganisms, who have limited or no alternative treatment options. The approval was based on substantial preclinical and clinical data, including in vitro and in vivo work, as well as pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies that established cefiderocol as an effective agent for the treatment of cUTI. This paper reviews that work and looks ahead to determine how cefiderocol might be used by clinicians in the future.