Abstract
Introduction: Healthcare-associated infections caused by multi-drug resistant bacteria remain a major cause of worldwide mortality. With the recent approval of agents such as hetero-resistant cocci (i.e., ceftaroline, ceftobiprole, telavancin) for the treatment of Gram-positive infections by and drugs like fidaxomicin for treating Clostridium difficile, present-day research on antibacterials has largely shifted to developing interventions for diseases caused by Gram-negative bacilli. Cephalosporins have gained significant interest as antipseudomonals to be used in hospitals for treating device- and procedure-associated infections. With extended-spectrum activity against many enterobacterial pathogens, the introduction of new antipseudomonal cephalosporin-based treatments will mark a significant advancement in the management of hospital-borne diseases.
Areas covered: The following review examines the present-day status of investigational cephalosporins currently in preclinical, Phase I and Phase II stage development. The article focuses specifically on treatments used for healthcare-associated infections due to Gram-negative bacteria.
Expert opinion: There is an urgent need for new antimicrobials to treat nosocomial infections due to multi-drug resistant Gram-negative bacteria. The impending approvals of antipseudomonal cephalosporins co-formulated with a β-lactamase inhibitor will allow clinicians to treat more hetero-resistant infections with cephalosporins, while avoiding the use of more toxic agents such as colistin. The growing interest in developing new β-lactamase inhibitor combinatorial treatments with approved β-lactam antibiotics is anticipated to decrease the number of novel cephalosporins entering clinical trials this decade.
Acknowledgment
TE Long wishes to give special thanks to Professor Karen Bush for her helpful discussion on β-lactamases.
Notes
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