Ceftobiprole medocaril for skin and skin-structure infections

On 3 April 2024, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ceftobiprole medocaril sodium (Zevtera) for injection for the treatment of adults with acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) as well as patients with Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections and patients 3 months to less than 18 years old with community-acquired bacterial pneumonia.

Ceftobiprole is a fifth-generation cephalosporin that exerts antibacterial activity by binding to penicillin-binding proteins and inhibiting transpeptidases and has demonstrated broad antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This manuscript involves a literature review of PubMed from 1 February 2024 through 8 January 2025.

Ceftobiprole has demonstrated clinical efficacy in treating ABSSSI in a randomized, controlled, double-blind, multinational trial. The pharmacokinetics of this drug, coupled with its favorable safety profile, suggest ceftobiprole will be an important addition to the antimicrobial armamentarium. In the future, ceftobiprole may be used alone or in combination to treat antibiotic-resistant infections, which serve as an expanding threat to patients with and without immune impairment.