In vitro activity of FK-037. A parenteral cephalosporin.

The in vitro activity of FK-037, a new extended spectrum cephalosporin, was determined against 398 recent clinical isolates consisting of ceftazidime-susceptible and -resistant, aerobic Gram-negative rods, penicillin-susceptible and resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-susceptible S. aureus, methicillin-susceptible coagulase-negative staphylococci, and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci. Comparative drugs included ceftazidime, imipenem, and amikacin. Susceptibility testing was performed using a broth microdilution method. FK-037 showed greater activity than ceftazidime against ceftazidime-susceptible, aerobic Gram-negative rods. FK-037 showed enhanced activity compared with ceftazidime against Gram-positive organisms, including penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae. Mutational frequencies for representative Gram-negative rods were comparable for FK-037 and ceftazidime.