A new generation of beta-lactam antibiotics: anticipating future developments and needs

The development of a drug with the properties of moxalactam creates both a new class of beta-lactam antibiotics and potentially a new era in chemotherapy. The specific activity (antibacterial effect/mg), stability against enzymatic degradation, and pharmacologic advantages of moxalactam provide new promise for the treatment of some infections and for moving forward our understanding of bacterial properties and the processes of infection. Such conditions offer numerous opportunities for development of new knowledge and improved practices in antimicrobial therapy. As the quality of antibiotics is improved through modification by chemical synthesis, some biologic and clinical needs shift. Experience provides a basis for anticipation and recognition of some of the conditions that are most likely to occur. Physicians should be alert to these possibilities and to their opportunity for making observations that will establish the optimal use of moxalactam, the first of a new generation of beta-lactam antibiotics.