Meropenem, a new carbapenem antibiotic

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology and Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Meropenem is a carbapenem antibiotic with broad-spectrum activity.
• It exhibits enhanced gram-negative aerobic and anaerobic activity compared to imipenem-cilastatin.
• Meropenem retains activity against strains resistant to other antibiotics like third-generation cephalosporins.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of meropenem in treating serious infections.
• To compare meropenem's profile with imipenem-cilastatin, particularly regarding central nervous system toxicities.

Main Methods:

• Clinical studies involving seriously ill patients with various infections.
• Assessment of meropenem's pharmacokinetic properties, including penetration into body fluids and tissues like cerebrospinal fluid.
• Evaluation of meropenem's stability against renal dehydropeptidase hydrolysis.

Main Results:

• Meropenem demonstrated excellent efficacy across a range of infections, including intra-abdominal, CNS, respiratory, skin and soft tissue, urinary tract, and febrile neutropenia.
• The drug showed good penetration into body fluids and tissues.
• Meropenem is stable against renal dehydropeptidase, negating the need for a dehydropeptidase inhibitor.

Conclusions:

• Meropenem is a well-tolerated antibiotic with excellent efficacy for serious infections.
• It presents potential advantages over imipenem-cilastatin, including a possibly reduced risk of seizures and other CNS toxicities.
• Further clinical trials and experience are needed to establish meropenem's optimal role in clinical practice.