Comparative in-vitro activity of the new fluoroquinolone trovafloxacin (CP-99,219) against gram-positive cocci

Reactive metabolite of trovafloxacin activates inflammasomes: Implications for trovafloxacin-induced liver injury

Trovafloxacin is a quinolone antibiotic drug with broad-spectrum activity, which was withdrawn from a global market relatively soon after approval because of serious liver injury. The characteristics of trovafloxacin-induced liver injury are consistent with an idiosyncratic reaction; however, the details of the mechanism have not been elucidated. We examined whether trovafloxacin induces the release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) that activate inflammasomes. We also tested ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, gatifloxacin, and grepafloxacin for their ability to activate inflammasomes. Drug bioactivation was performed with human hepatocarcinoma functional liver cell-4 (FLC-4) cells, and THP-1 cells (human monocyte cell line) were used for the detection of inflammasome activation. The supernatant from the incubation of trovafloxacin with FLC-4 cells for 7 days increased caspase-1 activity and production of IL-1ß by THP-1 cells. In the supernatant of FLC-4 cells that had been incubated with trovafloxacin, heat shock protein (HSP) 40 was significantly increased. Addition of a cytochrome P450 inhibitor to the FLC-4 cells prevented the release of HSP40 from the FLC-4 cells and inflammasome activation in THP-1 cells by the FLC-4 supernatant. These results suggest that reactive metabolites of trovafloxacin can cause the release of DAMPs from hepatocytes that can activate inflammasomes. Inflammasome activation may be an important step in the activation of the immune system by trovafloxacin, which, in some patients, can cause immune-related liver injury.

Antistaphylococcal effect related to the area under the curve/MIC ratio in an in vitro dynamic model: predicted breakpoints versus clinically achievable values for seven fluoroquinolones

Prediction of the relative efficacies of different fluoroquinolones is often based on the ratios of the clinically achievable area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) to the MIC, usually with incorporation of the MIC50 or the MIC90 and with the assumption of antibiotic-independent patterns of the AUC/MIC-response relationships. To ascertain whether this assumption is correct, the pharmacodynamics of seven pharmacokinetically different quinolones against two clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus were studied by using an in vitro model. Two differentially susceptible clinical isolates of S. aureus were exposed to two 12-h doses of ciprofloxacin (CIP) and one dose of gatifloxacin (GAT), gemifloxacin (GEM), grepafloxacin (GRX), levofloxacin (LVX), moxifloxacin (MXF), and trovafloxacin (TVA) over similar AUC/MIC ranges from 58 to 932 h. A specific bacterial strain-independent AUC/MIC relationship with the antimicrobial effect (I(E)) was associated with each quinolone. Based on the I(E)-log AUC/MIC relationships, breakpoints (BPs) that are equivalent to a CIP AUC/MIC ratio of 125 h were predicted for GRX, MXF, and TVA (75 to 78 h), GAT and GEM (95 to 103 h) and LVX (115 h). With GRX and LVX, the predicted BPs were close to those established in clinical settings (no clinical data on other quinolones are available in the literature). To determine if the predicted AUC/MIC BPs are achievable at clinical doses, i.e., at the therapeutic AUCs (AUC(ther)s), the AUC(ther)/MIC50 ratios were studied. These ratios exceeded the BPs for GAT, GEM, GRX, MXF, TVA, and LVX (750 mg) but not for CIP and LVX (500 mg). AUC/MIC ratios above the BPs can be considered of therapeutic potential for the quinolones. The highest ratios of AUC(ther)/MIC50 to BP were achieved with TVA, MXF, and GEM (2.5 to 3.0); intermediate ratios (1.5 to 1.6) were achieved with GAT and GRX; and minimal ratios (0.3 to 1.2) were achieved with CIP and LVX.

In vitro activity of trovafloxacin against Bacteroides fragilis in mixed culture with either Escherichia coli or a vancomycin- resistant strain of Enterococcus faecium determined by an anaerobic time-kill technique

To determine the efficacy of trovafloxacin as a possible treatment for intra-abdominal abscesses, we have developed an anaerobic time-kill technique using different inocula to study the in vitro killing of Bacteroides fragilis in pure culture or in mixed culture with either Escherichia coli or a vancomycin-resistant strain of Enterococcus faecium (VREF). With inocula of 5 x 10(5) CFU/ml and trovafloxacin concentrations of </=2 microg/ml, a maximum observed effect (E(max)) of >/=6.1 (log(10) CFU/ml) was attained with all pure and mixed cultures within 24 h. With inocula of 10(8) CFU/ml, a similar E(max) and a similar concentration to produce 50% of E(max) (EC(50)) for B. fragilis were found in both pure cultures and mixed cultures with E. coli. However, to produce a similar killing of B. fragilis in the mixed cultures with VREF, a 14-fold increase in the concentration of trovafloxacin was required. A vancomycin-susceptible strain of E. faecium and a trovafloxacin-resistant strain of E. coli were also found to confer a similar "protective" effect on B. fragilis against the activity of trovafloxacin. Using inocula of 10(9) CFU/ml, the activity of trovafloxacin was retained for E. coli and B. fragilis and was negligible against VREF. We conclude that this is a useful technique to study the anaerobic killing of mixed cultures in vitro and may be of value in predicting the killing of mixed infections in vivo. The importance of using mixed cultures and not pure cultures is clearly shown by the difference in the killing of B. fragilis in the mixed cultures tested. Trovafloxacin will probably be ineffective in the treatment of infections involving large numbers of enterococci. However, due to its ability to retain activity against large cultures of B. fragilis and E. coli, trovafloxacin could be beneficial in the treatment of intra-abdominal abscesses.

Gemifloxacin and ciprofloxacin pharmacodynamics in an in-vitro dynamic model: prediction of the equivalent AUC/MIC breakpoints and doses

To compare the antimicrobial effects (AMEs) of gemifloxacin (GEM) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a series of pharmacokinetic profiles of GEM (a single dose with the half-life (T(1/2)) of 7.4 h and CIP (two 12 h doses with T(1/2) of 4 h) were simulated in vitro over eight-fold ranges of the AUC/MIC ratio. Species- and strain-independent linear relationships observed between the intensity of AME (I(E)) and log AUC/MIC were not superimposed for GEM and CIP (r(2)=0.99 and 0.98, respectively). The predicted ratio for GEM that might be equivalent to a clinically established breakpoint value of AUC/MIC=125 (mg h/l)/(mg/l) for CIP was estimated at 110 (mg h/l)/(mg/l). It was calculated, that a daily dose of CIP that might provide the same AME as a clinical dose of GEM (320 mg) on a hypothetical strain of S. aureus with MICs=MIC(50)s would be as high as 2 x 3200 mg.

In vitro activity of moxifloxacin, a new 8-methoxyquinolone, against gram-positive bacteria

The in vitro activity of moxifloxacin, formerly BAY 12-8039, against gram-positive bacteria was tested by the agar dilution method. A total of 189 isolates that included Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, streptococci, rhodococci, leuconostocs, pediococci, lactobacilli, and diphtheroids were tested. Moxifloxacin showed greater potency than ciprofloxacin against S. aureus, streptococci, and enterococci, having Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) lower than those of ciprofloxacin by 2- to 64-fold. This improved activity was most prominent for S. aureus. Moxifloxacin was active against Leuconostoc and Rhodococcus species. Time-kill studies using moxifloxacin at a concentration of 3 micrograms/mL against one isolate each of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MSSA) (MIC, 0.031 microgram/mL), MRSA (MIC, 1 microgram/mL), two isolates of E. faecalis (MICs, 0.25 and 2 micrograms/mL), and two isolates of vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (MICs, 0.25 and 2 micrograms/mL) revealed an average decrease in colony forming unit (CFU) by 3.8, 0.4, 4.0, 2.0, 4.2, and 1.8 log10 CFU/mL at 24 h, respectively. Moxifloxacin is a new 8-methoxyquinolone with improved in vitro activity against gram-positive bacteria. Further studies of the in vivo activity of this compound appear warranted.

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci: recent advances in genetics, epidemiology and therapeutic options

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have gained much attention in the last decade. Currently, there are five known types of vancomycin resistance based on genes encoding ligase enzymes that the organisms use to produce their cell wall precursors, namely, VanA, VanB, VanC, VanD and VanE. An additional unclassified type was discovered in Australia. The basis of resistance among these phenotypes appears to be similar in that the resistant organisms produce peptidoglycan precursors that end in moieties other than D-alanyl-D-alanine, the usual target of vancomycin. The other dipeptide-like termini identified to date include D-alanyl-D-lactate and D-alanyl-D-serine, which have low affinity for glycopeptides. Recent evidence suggests that glycopeptide-producing organisms might be the remote origin of the vancomycin resistance genes. In European countries, avoparcin, a glycopeptide used in farm animals as a growth promoter, has been linked to the occurrence of VRE and occasional common strains have been identified in food products, farm animals, healthy subjects and hospitalized patients. There have been no such reports in the USA where heavy use of vancomycin and use of broad spectrum antibiotics such as cephalosporins have been identified as important risk factors for acquisition of VRE. Transmission within the same or between hospitals has been reported in many countries. Infection control measures and efforts to use antibiotics, particularly vancomycin, more appropriately have been implemented in a number of healthcare facilities with varying degrees of success. Many antibiotics, as a single agent or a combination of drugs, as well as various new antibiotics have been tested in vitro, in animal models, or used in anecdotal cases but clinical data from large comparative trials are not available to date. Because of the limited susceptibility of many VRE to other agents, efforts to control these organisms are particularly important. Copyright 1999 Harcourt Publishers LtdCopyright 1999 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.

Trovafloxacin: a new fluoroquinolone

OBJECTIVE

To review the pharmacology, antimicrobial activity, pharmacokinetics, clinical efficacy, and safety of trovafloxacin.

DATA SOURCES

A MEDLINE search (January 1966-April 1998) was conducted for relevant literature using the terms CP-99,219, CP-116,519, trovafloxacin, and alatrofloxacin. Abstracts published by the American Society of Microbiology during 1995-1997 meetings were also reviewed.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

All in vitro, animal, and human studies were reviewed for the antimicrobial activity, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety of trovafloxacin.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Trovafloxacin is a new fluoroquinolone with enhanced activity against gram-positive and anaerobic microorganisms. The oral bioavailability under fasting conditions is approximately 88%. The elimination half-life of trovafloxacin is approximately 10 hours. Less than 10% of trovafloxacin is eliminated unchanged in the urine. Trovafloxacin is effective in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia and nosocomial pneumonia with cure rates of > 90% and 77%, respectively. Trovafloxacin is comparable with ceftriaxone in the treatment of meningococcal meningitis in children; each produces a cure rate of approximately 90%. In treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infection, both ciprofloxacin and trovafloxacin achieve an eradication rate of > or = 93%. Trovafloxacin is similar to ofloxacin in the treatment of urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis and acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, with clinical success in 97% of patients with each drug. The common adverse effects of trovafloxacin include dizziness, headache, and gastrointestinal intolerance.

CONCLUSIONS

The advantages of once-daily dosing and enhanced activity of trovafloxacin against gram-positive and anaerobic organisms may expand its use over available fluoroquinolones. Further studies are needed to define its role in the treatment of various infectious diseases.

The bioavailability of nasogastric versus tablet-form oral trovafloxacin in healthy subjects

BACKGROUND

Patients in the hospital, as well as those in home care settings, often require nutritional supplementation with enteral feeding solutions. In addition, patients with serious infections who are clinically unstable often cannot maintain adequate intake by mouth and may require an alternative to oral antibiotic administration. However, delivery of crushed oral formulations of drugs via nasogastric tubes is often carried out without adequate bioavailability data, and this method of administration may not always be equivalent to oral drug delivery.

METHODS

In an open-label, randomized, four-period, four-treatment, cross-over study, 24 healthy volunteers were given one dose of each of the following treatments, with a 7-day wash-out between dosing periods: Treatment A: two 100-mg trovafloxacin tablets given orally with 240 mL water; Treatment B: two crushed 100-mg trovafloxacin tablets suspended in water and administered through a nasogastric tube into the stomach; Treatment C: two crushed 100-mg trovafloxacin tablets suspended in water and administered through a nasogastric tube into the duodenum; or Treatment D: two crushed 100-mg trovafloxacin tablets suspended in water and given through a nasogastric tube into the stomach concomitantly with an enteral feeding solution (240 mL full-strength Osmolite).

RESULTS

Pharmacokinetic analyses showed that the bioavailability of trovafloxacin after administration of crushed tablets into the stomach with or without concomitant enteral feeding was not significantly different from that of the orally administered whole tablets: the 90% confidence limits of the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC(0-infinity)) for Treatment B versus Treatment A (91.3%, 109.5%) and Treatment D versus Treatment A (91.6%, 109.9%) were well within the bioequivalence criteria of 80% to 125%. Results of analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated no significant sequence, period, or treatment-by-period interaction effects. Administration of trovafloxacin into the duodenum (Treatment C) resulted in reduced systemic exposure to trovafloxacin, with a 31% decrease in AUC(0-infinity) and a 30% decrease in peak serum concentration (Cmax) compared to oral administration. Time to peak serum concentration (Tmax) was 1.7 hours after oral administration of trovafloxacin and 1.1 hours after administration directly into the stomach or duodenum through a nasogastric tube in the absence of concomitant enteral feeding. All four treatments were well tolerated; no participant discontinued the study due to adverse events and no serious adverse events were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

These results showed that administration of crushed trovafloxacin tablets through a nasogastric tube into the stomach, with or without concomitant enteral feeding, achieves absorption and tolerability comparable to those of orally administered trovafloxacin tablets.

Comparative in-vitro activities of trovafloxacin, ciproflaxacin, ofloxacin, and broad-spectrum beta-lactams against aerobe blood culture isolates

The in vitro activity of trovafloxacin, a new fluoroquinolone, was compared with that of ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, fleroxacin, ceftazidime, piperacillin/tazobactam, and meropenem against 613 consecutively recovered blood isolates from recently hospitalized patients. Susceptibility testing was performed by agar dilution according to NCCLS guidelines. Test strains included Acinetobacter species (n = 26), Escherichia coli (n = 137), Enterobacter species (n = 27), Klebsiella species (n = 42), Proteus species (n = 16), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 28), Serratia marcescens (n = 13), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (n = 7), enterococci (n = 54), coagulase-negative staphylococci (n = 38), Staphylococcus aureus (n = 137), Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 27), beta-haemolytic streptococci (n = 13), and viridans group streptococci (n = 48). The overall respective MICs at which 50% and 90% of isolates were inhibited (MIC50s and MIC90s) were as follows: trovafloxacin, 0.06 and 1 mg/l; ciprofloxacin, 0.25 and 4 mg/l; ofloxacin, 0.5 and 4 mg/l; fleroxacin, 0.5 and 16 mg/l; ceftazidime, 2 and 128 mg/l; piperacillin/tazobactam, 2 and 8 mg/l; meropenem, 0.06 and 4 mg/l. For the quinolones, the rank order of activity against gram-negative microorganisms was ciprofloxacin > trovafloxacin > ofloxacin = fleroxacin, against gram-positive organisms, trovafloxacin > ciprofloxacin = ofloxacin > fleroxacin. Data obtained showed the similar activity of trovafloxacin and ciprofloxacin against gram-negative pathogens and the superior activity of trovafloxacin against gram-positive bacteria thus making it a potential candidate for the empiric treatment of patients with suspected bacteremia and sepsis.

Pharmacokinetics and metabolism of single oral doses of trovafloxacin

Trovafloxacin, a new fluoronaphthyridone derivative related to fluoroquinolone antimicrobial drugs, has demonstrated the following characteristics: significant gram-positive and gram-negative activity; significant activity against anaerobes and atypical respiratory pathogens; approximately 11-hour elimination half-life, permitting once-daily administration; and good tissue penetration. Because <10% of an orally administered dose is recovered in urine as unchanged drug, the predominant route of trovafloxacin elimination appears to be nonrenal. The two studies described in this review examined the metabolism and excretion of trovafloxacin and compared the time course and concentrations of trovafloxacin and its metabolites in bile to those in serum. In the first study, four healthy male volunteers received a single, oral 200-mg dose of radiolabeled trovafloxacin. In the second study, three patients with indwelling nasobiliary tubes received a single 200-mg dose of trovafloxacin. Samples of blood, urine, bile, and feces were collected. Trovafloxacin in urine and serum was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet (UV) detection and in bile by HPLC-mass spectroscopy (MS). Levels of the N-acetyl metabolite in bile were determined by HPLC/UV/MS. Metabolites in serum, urine, and feces were determined by reverse-phase HPLC/MS, and radioactivity in these samples was assayed by liquid scintillation counting. In the first study, 63.3% and 23.1% of total radioactivity were recovered in feces and urine, respectively, with most of the radioactivity in urine in the form of the ester glucuronide metabolite (12.8%) and unchanged trovafloxacin (5.9%). Unchanged drug, the N-acetyl metabolite, and the N-sulfate of trovafloxacin accounted for 43.2%, 9.2%, and 3.9%, respectively, of the radioactivity in feces. In the second study, biliary trovafloxacin concentrations were highest between 1.5 and 10 hours postdose, and the maximum concentrations ranged from 18.9 to 37.9 microg/mL. The mean bile:serum ratio of trovafloxacin was 14.9, and the biliary concentration of parent drug was higher than that of its N-acetyl metabolite. In both studies, trovafloxacin was well tolerated, with no discontinuations due to adverse events. The pharmacokinetic profile of trovafloxacin in serum was consistent in healthy subjects and in individuals who had undergone recent hepatobiliary surgery. Trovafloxacin is metabolized primarily by the liver, through phase II metabolism (glucuronidation 13.2%, N-acetylation 10.4%, and N-sulfoconjugation 4.1%); minimal oxidative metabolism was detected. Renal elimination accounted for <10% of the administered dose. The high bile to serum ratio and higher trovafloxacin concentrations relative to metabolite concentrations are consistent with nonrenal elimination. These pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic results, together with a broad antimicrobial spectrum, long 11-hour elimination half-life, and low drug-interaction potential, suggest that trovafloxacin may be particularly appropriate for use in the surgical setting.

The pharmacokinetic effects of coadministration of morphine and trovafloxacin in healthy subjects

BACKGROUND

Morphine and antibiotics are frequently coadministered in the surgical setting. These agents may interact, reducing the efficacy of the antibiotic or increasing the toxicity of morphine. It is therefore important to determine whether antibiotics that might be used for surgical prophylaxis have the potential to change the pharmacokinetics of morphine. It is equally important to learn whether morphine affects the plasma levels of antibiotics and thus may potentially influence their efficacy or tolerability.

METHODS

This open, randomized, placebo-controlled, three-treatment, three-period cross-over study enrolled 19 healthy volunteers. Oral trovafloxacin (200 mg), a novel fluoroquinolone antibiotic, and intravenous morphine (0.15 mg/kg) were coadministered, and the effects on the pharmacokinetics of each drug and on changes in the pharmacologic action of morphine, estimated from its effects on respiratory rate and level of sedation, were examined.

RESULTS

When trovafloxacin was coadministered with morphine, the half-life of trovafloxacin was unchanged; however, the ratio of the area under the serum concentration versus time curve (AUC(0-infinity)) estimates for trovafloxacin/morphine versus trovafloxacin/placebo was 63.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 40.7% to 100.3%), indicating a 36% reduction in the bioavailability of trovafloxacin. The ratio of the mean maximum serum concentration (Cmax) estimates of trovafloxacin for the two treatments was 53.8% (95% CI: 36.1% to 80.1%), indicating a 46% reduction in Cmax. The time to Cmax was delayed by 4 hours. With trovafloxacin coadministration, there were no statistically significant changes in either the mean relative bioavailability of morphine or that of its metabolite, 6beta-glucuronide-morphine. Coadministration of trovafloxacin did not exacerbate the reduction in respiratory rate or increase the number of side effects associated with morphine administration.

CONCLUSIONS

Coadministration of trovafloxacin and morphine reduces the bioavailability and maximum serum concentrations of trovafloxacin. However, elimination of oral trovafloxacin is not impaired, suggesting that the efficacy of trovafloxacin could be maintained in many patients who receive concomitant morphine. Morphine plasma levels and pharmacologic effects are not significantly altered by coadministration of trovafloxacin. Despite their similar metabolic pathways, the trovafloxacin/morphine combination neither exacerbates the respiratory depressant effects of morphine nor increases the frequency of side effects when compared with placebo/morphine treatment. These results suggest that the efficacy of trovafloxacin may be maintained when coadministered with morphine. Concurrent administration of trovafloxacin and morphine is unlikely to alter the pharmacologic effects of morphine.

Concentrations of trovafloxacin in colonic tissue and peritoneal fluid after intravenous infusion of the prodrug alatrofloxacin in patients undergoing colorectal surgery

BACKGROUND

Trovafloxacin is a new fourth-generation fluoroquinolone whose pharmacokinetics and in vitro activity suggest that it is well suited for antibiotic prophylaxis in elective colorectal surgery. Alatrofloxacin is a prodrug that is rapidly hydrolyzed to trovafloxacin in the body.

METHODS

Twelve patients received a single dose of alatrofloxacin equivalent to 200 mg trovafloxacin by intravenous infusion over 1 hour. Surgery was started at various time points relative to infusion time to allow determination of trovafloxacin concentrations in serum, colonic tissue, and peritoneal fluid as a function of time.

RESULTS

The concentration in the earliest colonic tissue sample (1.4 hours after dosing) was 1.4 microg/g. The maximum colonic tissue concentration was 2.8 microg/g in a sample taken 2 hours after dosing. Colonic tissue/serum concentration ratios in samples taken 2-10 hours after the end of infusion ranged from 0.8 to 1.47. Concentrations of trovafloxacin in peritoneal fluid ranged from below the level of quantitation to 2.1 microg/mL at the time of colonic tissue sampling and from below the level of quantitation to 2.5 microg/mL at the time of wound closure. Alatrofloxacin was well tolerated.

CONCLUSIONS

After a single intravenous dose of alatrofloxacin equivalent to 200 mg trovafloxacin, trovafloxacin is distributed rapidly into colonic tissue and peritoneal fluids. Tissue concentrations approximate serum concentrations and decline in parallel for up to 10 hours after dosing.

Oral trovafloxacin compared with intravenous cefoxitin in the prevention of bacterial infection after elective vaginal or abdominal hysterectomy for nonmalignant disease. Trovafloxacin Surgical Group

BACKGROUND

Trovafloxacin is a new fourth-generation fluoroquinolone whose pharmacokinetics and in vitro activity suggest that it is well suited for antibiotic prophylaxis in elective hysterectomy.

METHODS

In a randomized, double-blind, multicenter study, parallel groups of women 18 years of age or older received either 200 mg trovafloxacin by mouth and intravenous (i.v.) placebo or 2 g cefoxitin by i.v. infusion and placebo by mouth before elective vaginal or abdominal hysterectomy for nonmalignant disease.

RESULTS

In the 103 and 97 patients in the trovafloxacin and cefoxitin groups, respectively, who were evaluable for efficacy, the prophylactic success rates at hospital discharge (96% in both groups) and 30 +/- 6 days after hysterectomy (88% and 91% in the trovafloxacin and cefoxitin groups, respectively) were statistically equivalent. Both antibiotics were well tolerated.

CONCLUSION

A single oral 200 mg dose of trovafloxacin is as effective and safe as a standard cefoxitin parenteral regimen in the prevention of primary bacterial infection after elective vaginal or abdominal hysterectomy for nonmalignant disease.

Levofloxacin: a therapeutic review

This therapeutic review discusses the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, in vitro activity, drug interactions, and adverse effects of levofloxacin, a fluoroquinolone antibiotic. Particular emphasis is placed on the clinical efficacy of levofloxacin and its place in therapy. Compared with ciprofloxacin and the earlier quinolone agents, levofloxacin has an improved pharmacokinetic profile that allows convenient once-daily dosing in either an oral or parenteral formulation. Levofloxacin has enhanced activity against gram-positive aerobic organisms, including penicillin-resistant pneumococci. In published comparative trials involving commonly used treatment regimens, levofloxacin had equivalent if not greater activity in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia, acute bacterial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, acute bacterial sinusitis, acute pyelonephritis, and complicated urinary tract infection. Levofloxacin is well tolerated and induces minimal adverse drug reactions. Based on the above attributes, it may be reasonable to include levofloxacin on the hospital formulary in place of older quinolones. More recently released quinolones such as trovafloxacin exhibit similar advantages; however, until direct comparative trials between levofloxacin and these newer agents are conducted, it is difficult to advocate one agent over another. Regardless of which quinolone is the primary agent on the formulary, it is imperative that this class of antimicrobial drugs be used with discretion to minimize the development of resistance.

In vitro activity of quinupristin/dalfopristin and newer quinolones combined with gentamicin against resistant isolates of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium

In a study designed to obtain data on compounds active against enterococci, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of quinupristin/dalfopristin (RP 59500) and the novel quinolones DU-6859a, trovafloxacin, levofloxacin, and sparfloxacin were determined for 122 Enterococcus faecalis and seven Enterococcus faecium isolates. In addition, 15 Enterococcus faecalis isolates resistant to gentamicin, DU-6859a, and trovafloxacin were exposed over time to combinations of DU-6859a plus gentamicin and trovafloxacin plus gentamicin. DU-6859a and trovafloxacin were found to be the most active compounds against Enterococcus faecalis and DU-6859a and RP 59500 against Enterococcus faecium. Synergy between either DU-6859a or trovafloxacin and gentamicin was observed with 27 to 35% of the isolates. It is concluded that DU-6859a and trovafloxacin are very potent against enterococci, especially when combined with gentamicin.

Pharmacokinetics of [18F]trovafloxacin in healthy human subjects studied with positron emission tomography

Tissue pharmacokinetics of trovafloxacin, a new broad-spectrum fluoroquinolone antimicrobial agent, were measured by positron emission tomography (PET) with [18F]trovafloxacin in 16 healthy volunteers (12 men and 4 women). Each subject received a single oral dose of trovafloxacin (200 mg) daily beginning 5 to 8 days before the PET measurements. Approximately 2 h after the final oral dose, the subject was positioned in the gantry of the PET camera, and 1 h later 10 to 20 mCi of [18F]trovafloxacin was infused intravenously over 1 to 2 min. Serial PET images and blood samples were collected for 6 to 8 h, starting at the initiation of the infusion. Drug concentrations were expressed as the percentage of injected dose per gram, and absolute concentrations were estimated by assuming complete absorption of the final oral dose. In most tissues, there was rapid accumulation of the radiolabeled drug, with high levels achieved within 10 min after tracer infusion. Peak concentrations of more than five times the MIC at which 90% of the isolates are inhibited (MIC90) for most members of Enterobacteriaceae and anaerobes (>10-fold for most organisms) were achieved in virtually all tissues, and the concentrations remained above this level for more than 6 to 8 h. Particularly high peak concentrations (micrograms per gram; mean +/- standard error of the mean [SEM]) were achieved in the liver (35.06 +/- 5.89), pancreas (32.36 +/- 20. 18), kidney (27.20 +/- 10.68), lung (22.51 +/- 7.11), and spleen (21. 77 +/- 11.33). Plateau concentrations (measured at 2 to 8 h; micrograms per gram; mean +/- SEM) were 3.25 +/- 0.43 in the myocardium, 7.23 +/- 0.95 in the lung, 11.29 +/- 0.75 in the liver, 9.50 +/- 2.72 in the pancreas, 4.74 +/- 0.54 in the spleen, 1.32 +/- 0.09 in the bowel, 4.42 +/- 0.32 in the kidney, 1.51 +/- 0.15 in the bone, 2.46 +/- 0.17 in the muscle, 4.94 +/- 1.17 in the prostate, and 3.27 +/- 0.49 in the uterus. In the brain, the concentrations (peak, approximately 2.63 +/- 1.49 microg/g; plateau, approximately 0.91 +/- 0.15 microg/g) exceeded the MIC90s for such common causes of central nervous system infections as Streptococcus pneumoniae (MIC90, <0.2 microg/ml), Neisseria meningitidis (MIC90, <0.008 microg/ml), and Haemophilus influenzae (MIC90, <0.03 microg/ml). These PET results suggest that trovafloxacin will be useful in the treatment of a broad range of infections at diverse anatomic sites.

In vitro activities of six fluoroquinolones against Canadian isolates of vancomycin-sensitive and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus species

The in vitro activities of six fluoroquinolones were determined against 1482 Enterococcus species isolates collected as part of a 1996 Canadian surveillance study. Clinafloxacin MIC90s were 4 or 8 microg/mL, trovafloxacin and BAY 12-8039 MIC90s were 8 or 16 microg/mL, sparfloxacin MIC90s were 32 microg/mL, and ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin MIC90s were >32 microg/mL for the vancomycin-sensitive Enterococcus faecalis, vancomycin-sensitive Enterococcus faecium, and vancomycin-resistant E. faecium isolates collected.

Bacteriological activity of trovafloxacin, a new quinolone, against respiratory tract pathogens

The use of established fluoroquinolones, such as ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin, as empirical therapy for the treatment of moderate-to-severe respiratory tract infections is limited by their poor activity against gram-positive and atypical pathogens. Data from in vitro susceptibility studies and in vivo animal protection models suggest that the new fluoroquinolone, trovafloxacin, compared with ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin offers equivalent activity against gram-negative pathogens and improved activity against gram-positive pathogens. In particular, susceptibility data indicate that trovafloxacin is at least 16-fold more potent than either ciprofloxacin or ofloxacin against penicillin-susceptible and penicillin-resistant strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Other susceptible pathogens include Streptococcus pyogenes, vancomycin-susceptible Enterococcus faecalis and the atypical respiratory pathogens Legionella pneumophila, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae. In vivo studies involving models of protection against acute systemic infection and pneumococcal pneumonia in mice, and Legionnaires' disease in guinea pigs, indicate that the antibacterial spectrum observed for trovafloxacin in vitro extends to the in vivo setting. Together, these findings suggest that trovafloxacin may offer clinical efficacy against respiratory pathogens superior to that of ciprofloxacin and of ofloxacin, and may find a useful role as empiric therapy in both the community and hospital setting.

Activity of trovafloxacin (with or without ampicillin-sulbactam) against enterococci in an in vitro dynamic model of infection

Antibiotic-resistant enterococci are being increasingly identified as causal agents of infection. Trovafloxacin is a new fluoronaphthyridone with enhanced activity against gram-positive cocci and variable activity reported against Enterococcus spp. Twenty-one strains of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium and two strains of Enterococcus faecalis (one vancomycin resistant) were studied at an initial inoculum of 10(6) CFU/ml in time-kill assays with trovafloxacin (3 mg/liter), ampicillin-sulbactam (100/50 mg/liter), and the combination. Six strains of E. faecium (five vancomycin resistant) also were studied in an in vitro two-compartment dynamic model that mimics human pharmacokinetics with trovafloxacin simulated at 300 mg every 12 h (q12h), ampicillin-sulbactam at 2/1 g q6h, and the combination. Peripheral compartments were sampled q2h for 30 h for bacterial counts. Trovafloxacin MICs ranged from 0.5 to 32 mg/liter, and the nine strains of vancomycin-resistant E. faecium for which MICs were < or =2 mg/liter were more likely to show a reduction of 2 log units or more in viable counts in time-kill assays than were strains for which MICs were higher. Synergism with ampicillin-sulbactam was found for only one strain (trovafloxacin MIC, 16 mg/liter). Similar results were obtained in the pharmacokinetic model, with 2- to 4-log-unit reductions in viable bacteria for trovafloxacin-susceptible strains. Although no convincing evidence of synergism was found, ampicillin-sulbactam in combination minimized late bacterial regrowth of two trovafloxacin-susceptible strains. These data suggest that this high dose of trovafloxacin (with or without ampicillin-sulbactam) might be useful against strains of vancomycin-resistant E. faecium for which MICs were < or =2 mg/liter.

Comparative in vitro activities of trovafloxacin (CP-99,219) against 445 gram-positive isolates from patients with endocarditis and those with other bloodstream infections

The in vitro activity of trovafloxacin (CP-99,219), a new fluoroquinolone, was compared with the in vitro activities of other commonly used quinolones and other antimicrobial agents against 445 gram-positive microorganisms isolated between 1986 and 1995 from patients with endocarditis and those with other bloodstream infections. The MICs at which 90% of the isolates are inhibited (MIC90) of trovafloxacin for methicillin-susceptible staphylococci, viridans group streptococci, and enterococci were 0.06, 0.25, and 0.5 mg/liter, respectively. The MIC90 of trovafloxacin for vancomycin-resistant enterococci as well as for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-susceptible and ciprofloxacin-resistant S. aureus, isolated from sources other than blood, was 1 mg/liter. For the quinolones the rank order of activity was trovafloxacin > sparfloxacin > ciprofloxacin = ofloxacin > pefloxacin. Depending on the species tested, trovafloxacin was 4- to 64-fold more active than ciprofloxacin. Further experimental and in vivo studies are warranted to evaluate the efficacy of trovafloxacin in the treatment of bacterial endocarditis and other infections caused by gram-positive organisms.