Carbapenem

Backbone structure of a carbapenem.

Carbapenems are a class of very effective antibiotic agents most commonly used for treatment of severe bacterial infections. This class of antibiotics is usually reserved for known or suspected multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections. Similar to penicillins and cephalosporins, carbapenems are members of the beta-lactam antibiotics drug class, which kill bacteria by binding to penicillin-binding proteins, thus inhibiting bacterial cell wall synthesis. However, these agents individually exhibit a broader spectrum of activity compared to most cephalosporins and penicillins. Furthermore, carbapenems are typically unaffected by emerging antibiotic resistance, even to other beta-lactams.[medical citation needed]

Carbapenem antibiotics were originally developed at Merck & Co. from the carbapenem thienamycin, a naturally derived product of Streptomyces cattleya.[1][2] Concern has arisen in recent years over increasing rates of resistance to carbapenems, as there are few therapeutic options for treating infections caused by carbapenem-resistant bacteria (such as Klebsiella pneumoniae and other carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae[3]).[4][5][6]

  1. ^ Sneader, Walter (2006). Drug Discovery-A History. Wiley. p. 310. ISBN 978-0-471-89980-8.
  2. ^ Birnbaum J, Kahan FM, Kropp H, MacDonald JS (June 1985). "Carbapenems, a new class of beta-lactam antibiotics. Discovery and development of imipenem/cilastatin". American Journal of Medicine. 78 (6A): 3–21. doi:10.1016/0002-9343(85)90097-X. ISSN 0002-9343. PMID 3859213.
  3. ^ "Brazil: Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase prompts closing of hospital ICU - Outbreak News Today". 2015-07-26.
  4. ^ Breilh D, Texier-Maugein J, Allaouchiche B, Saux MC, Boselli E (2013). "Carbapenems". J Chemother. 25 (1): 1–17. doi:10.1179/1973947812Y.0000000032. PMID 23433439. S2CID 218660238.
  5. ^ Papp-Wallace KM, Endimiani A, Taracila MA, Bonomo RA (2011). "Carbapenems: past, present, and future". Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 55 (11): 4943–60. doi:10.1128/AAC.00296-11. PMC 3195018. PMID 21859938.
  6. ^ Livermore DM, Woodford N (October 2000). "Carbapenemases: a problem in waiting?". Current Opinion in Microbiology. 3 (5): 489–95. doi:10.1016/S1369-5274(00)00128-4. ISSN 1369-5274. PMID 11050448.