Ketek (Telithromycin) highly active in vitro against Streptococcus ...( A novel investigational antibiotic ha...)

A novel investigational antibiotic has demonstrated excellent in vitro activity against isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae), including those resistant to penicillin, macrolide or fluoroquinolone antibiotics according to a study presented today. In vitro data from the international PROTEKT (Prospective Resistant Organism Tracking and Epidemiology for the Ketolide Telithromycin) study presented today at the 11th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID), suggest that Ketek (telithromycin) may be an effective option for the treatment of community acquired respiratory tract infections (CARTIs), particularly those caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, the most common pathogen associated with CARTIs.

CARTIs are the most common infections treated by healthcare practitioners and represent a significant societal burden, causing 50 million deaths globally each year. As part of the worldwide PROTEKT study, bacterial isolates from patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis (AECB), acute sinusitis, tonsillitis/pharyngitis or acute otitis media were collected from centres throughout the world. As of January 2001, the in vitro analysis of more than 5000 isolates collected in the PROTEKT study has confirmed the alarming spread of antimicrobial resistance among the pathogens most frequently implicated in CARTIs.

The study revealed that the overall worldwide prevalence of penicillin (PEN) resistance among pneumococci was 39.9%. Levels differed markedly among countries with South Korea recording the highest levels (80.5%). High levels of PEN resistance were also evident in Japan (65.6%), Hong Kong (58.6%), France (59.4%), Spain (43.7%) and the USA (43.6%).

The study also shows that erythromycin (ERY) resistance was highest in Asia (combined ERY resistance of 86.2%, 80.5% and 72.9% in South Korea, Japan and Hong Kong, respectively), and more than half of
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Contact: Liz Rickard
elizabeth.rickard@ketchum.com
44-0-20-7611-3633
Ketchum
3-Apr-2001