The Search for New Antimicrobials: Why We Need New Options

The increasing identification of antibiotic-resistant pathogens that cause serious infections cannot be ignored. Although the future cannot be predicted with certainty, it is surely possible that an extensive epidemic of resistant bacterial infections could potentially harm millions of people. Given that it takes more than 10 years to establish the efficacy and safety of new compounds, there is an urgent need to restock the antibiotic pipeline. Only a few new antibacterial agents have received approval by the US Food and Drug Administration in the last 5 years, including linezolid in 2001, cefditoren, pivoxil and ertapenem in 2002, gemifloxacin and daptomycin in 2003, and telithromycin in 2004. Many of these agents are improved derivatives from established classes of antibiotics, and several are directed primarily at resistant Gram-positive bacteria (e.g., linezolid and daptomycin). One promising new addition is the recent approval of tigecycline (Tigacyl, Wyeth) in June 2005.