New oxazolidinone in development
AZD2563, a new oxazolidinone, is under early stage
development for the treatment of infection with Gram-positive bacteria.
New data showing the clinical effectiveness of the drug were presented
at the 41st Interscience Congress on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
held in Chicago last month.
The effectiveness of AZD2563 was measured against
838 strains of bacteria and the level of activity of the drug was compared
with that of 14 antibiotics, including linezolid (Zyvox), an oxazolidinone
already on the market. Lead researcher Dr Philip Turner, associate director
of microbiology, AstraZeneca, says: "For the majority of strains of streptococci
and staphylococci, including methicillin-resistant staphylococci, AZD2563
was more potent in vitro than linezolid. Activities against strains
of enterococci and pneumococci were comparable between AZD2563 and linezolid."
Another study compared the activity of AZD2563 against
500 isolates of entero-cocci with that of linezolid and eight other antibiotics,
including ampicillin and erythromycin. Researchers from the Beth Israel
Deaconess Medical Centre and Harvard Medical School, Boston, found that
in general AZD2563 was twice as active as linezolid against enterococci,
including multi-drug resistant strains. A further study using an experimental
model to predict the behaviour of the product in man showed that AZD2563
is long-acting and that once-daily dosing is feasible.
In response to the data for AZD2563, a spokesman
for Pharmacia, manufacturer of linezolid, told The Journal that
the company "is pleased to see that other compounds are being developed
in this important class".
He added that the studies "describe data from early
in vitro tests and it is premature to make a comparison with linezolid,
which has proven efficacy in serious Gram-positive infections in humans".
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