Telavancin is an intravenous semisynthetic lipoglycopeptide antibiotic that is broadly active against both aerobic and anaerobic gram-positive bacteria, including streptococci, methicillin-susceptible S. aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), and some vancomycin-resistant enterococci.
In two randomized trials (the ATTAIN studies) in patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia due to gram-positive bacteria, especially MRSA, telavancin was noninferior to vancomycin in terms of clinical response.
Among patients with monomicrobial S. aureus infection, the cure rates were higher in patients who received telavancin, particularly among those with an MRSA isolate with reduced susceptibility to vancomycin.
These results suggest that telavancin is particularly useful for patients with MRSA isolates with reduced susceptibility to vancomycin. However, telavancin has not been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of pneumonia.
In two randomized trials (the ATTAIN studies) in patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia due to gram-positive bacteria, especially MRSA, telavancin was noninferior to vancomycin in terms of clinical response.
Among patients with monomicrobial S. aureus infection, the cure rates were higher in patients who received telavancin, particularly among those with an MRSA isolate with reduced susceptibility to vancomycin.
These results suggest that telavancin is particularly useful for patients with MRSA isolates with reduced susceptibility to vancomycin. However, telavancin has not been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of pneumonia.
Source:
- Pfaller MA, Mendes RE, Sader HS, Jones RN. Telavancin activity against Gram-positive bacteria isolated from respiratory tract specimens of patients with nosocomial pneumonia. J Antimicrob Chemother 2010; 65:2396.
- Rubinstein E, Lalani T, Corey GR, et al. Telavancin versus vancomycin for hospital-acquired pneumonia due to gram-positive pathogens. Clin Infect Dis 2011; 52:31.