Comparison of in vitro activities of ABT-773 and telithromycin against macrolide-susceptible and -resistant streptococci and staphylococci

The activity of a new ketolide, ABT-773, was compared to the activity of the ketolide telithromycin (HMR-3647) against over 600 gram-positive clinical isolates, including 356 Streptococcus pneumoniae, 167 Staphylococcus aureus, and 136 Streptococcus pyogenes isolates. Macrolide-susceptible isolates as well as macrolide-resistant isolates with ribosomal methylase (Erm), macrolide efflux (Mef), and ribosomal mutations were tested using the NCCLS reference broth microdilution method. Both compounds were extremely, active against macrolide-susceptible isolates, with the minimum inhibitory concentrations at which 90% of the isolates tested were inhibited (MIC(90)s) for susceptible streptococci and staphylococci ranging from 0.002 to 0.03 mug/ml for ABT-773 and 0.008 to 0.06 mug/ml for telithromycin. ABT-773 had increased activities against macrolide-resistant S. pneumoniae (Erm MIC90, 0.015 mug/ml; Mef MIC90, 0.12 mug/ml) compared to those of telithromycin (Erm MIC90, 0.12 mug/ml; Mef MIC90, 1 mug/ml). Both compounds were active against strains with rRNA or ribosomal protein mutations (MIC90, 0.12 mug/ml). ABT-773 was also more active against macrolide-resistant S. pyogenes (ABT-773 Erm MIC90, 0.5 mug/ml; ABT-773 Mef MIC90, 0.12 mug/ml; telithromycin Erm MIC90, >8 mug/ml; telithromycin Mef MIC90, 1.0 mug/ml). Both compounds lacked activity against constitutive macrolide-resistant Staphylococcus aureus but had good activities against inducibly resistant Staphylococcus aureus (ABT-773 MIC90, 0.06 mug/ml; telithromycin MIC90, 0.5 mug/ml). ABT-773 has superior activity against macrolide-resistant streptococci compared to that of telithromycin.