Tigecycline is a first-in-class, broad spectrum antibiotic with activity against antibiotic-resistant organisms. Target: Antibacterial Tigecycline is active against a broad range of gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial species including clinically important multidrug-resistant nosocomial and community-acquired bacterial pathogens. Tigecycline has been shown to inhibit the translation elongation step by binding to the ribosome 30S subunit and preventing aminoacylated tRNAs to accommodate in the ribosomal A site [1]. Tigecycline has also been found to be effective for the treatment of community- as well as hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonia and bacteremia, sepsis with shock and urinary tract infections. Tigecycline appears to be a valuable treatment option for the management of superbugs, especially where conventional therapy has failed [2]. Fifteen patients received tigecycline for 16 episodes of CPKP infection. The main infections were pneumonia (31%), urinary tract infection (31%), peritonitis (20%), catheter-related bacteraemia (12%), and meningitis (6%). Most infections were complicated with severe sepsis (44%), septic shock (12%), and/or bacteraemia (19%). The daily maintenance dose of tigecycline was 200 mg in 10 episodes and 100 mg in 6 episodes. The overall 30-day mortality rate was 25%. Univariate analysis showed that mortality was significantly associated (p < 0.01) with mean APACHE II and SOFA scores and the presence of immunosuppression, but not with the tigecycline dose [3].

• [1]. Seputiene V, et al. Tigecycline - how powerful is it in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria? Medicina (Kaunas). 2010;46(4):240-8.

  [2]. Bhattacharya M, et al. Tigecycline. J Postgrad Med. 2009 Jan-Mar;55(1):65-8.

  [3]. Moreno BB, et al. Tigecycline therapy for infections due to carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in critically ill patients. Scand J Infect Dis. 2013 Dec 20.