Jacobs, Michael R.

ABSTRACT Ledaborbactam (formerly VNRX-5236), a bicyclic boronate β-lactamase inhibitor with activity against class A, C, and D β-lactamases, is under development as an orally bioavailable etzadroxil prodrug (VNRX-7145) in combination with ceftibuten for the treatment of urinary tract infections. At ceftibuten breakpoints of ≤1 mg/L (EUCAST) and ≤8 mg/L (CLSI), 92.5% and 99.0%, respectively, of 200 carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates, predominantly K. pneumoniae carbapenemase producing, were susceptible to ceftibuten-ledaborbactam (ledaborbactam tested at a fixed concentration of 4 mg/L) compared to 4.5% and 30.5%, respectively, to ceftibuten alone.

ABSTRACT Taniborbactam, a bicyclic boronate β-lactamase inhibitor with activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC), Verona integron–encoded metallo-β-lactamase (VIM), New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM), extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs), OXA-48, and AmpC β-lactamases, is under clinical development in combination with cefepime. Susceptibility of 200 previously characterized carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae and 197 multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa to cefepime-taniborbactam and comparators was determined by broth microdilution. For K. pneumoniae (192 KPC; 7 OXA-48-related), MIC 90 values of β-lactam components for cefepime-taniborbactam, ceftazidime-avibactam, and meropenem-vaborbactam were 2, 2, and 1 mg/L, respectively. For cefepime-taniborbactam, 100% and 99.5% of isolates of K. pneumoniae were inhibited at ≤16 mg/L and ≤8 mg/L, respectively, while 98.0% and 95.5% of isolates were susceptible to ceftazidime-avibactam and meropenem-vaborbactam, respectively. For P. aeruginosa , MIC 90 values of β-lactam components of cefepime-taniborbactam, ceftazidime-avibactam, ceftolozane-tazobactam, and meropenem-vaborbactam were 16, >8, >8, and >4 mg/L, respectively. Of 89 carbapenem-susceptible isolates, 100% were susceptible to ceftolozane-tazobactam, ceftazidime-avibactam, and cefepime-taniborbactam at ≤8 mg/L. Of 73 carbapenem-intermediate/resistant P. aeruginosa isolates without carbapenemases, 87.7% were susceptible to ceftolozane-tazobactam, 79.5% to ceftazidime-avibactam, and 95.9% and 83.6% to cefepime-taniborbactam at ≤16 mg/L and ≤8 mg/L, respectively. Cefepime-taniborbactam at ≤16 mg/L and ≤8 mg/L, respectively, was active against 73.3% and 46.7% of 15 VIM- and 60.0% and 35.0% of 20 KPC-producing P. aeruginosa isolates. Of all 108 carbapenem-intermediate/resistant P. aeruginosa isolates, cefepime-taniborbactam was active against 86.1% and 69.4% at ≤16 mg/L and ≤8 mg/L, respectively, compared to 59.3% for ceftolozane-tazobactam and 63.0% for ceftazidime-avibactam. Cefepime-taniborbactam had in vitro activity comparable to ceftazidime-avibactam and greater than meropenem-vaborbactam against carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae and carbapenem-intermediate/resistant MDR P. aeruginosa .

Abstract Background P. aeruginosa is a Gram-negative pathogen responsible for many serious infections. MDR, both intrinsic and acquired, presents major clinical challenges. Taniborbactam (formerly VNRX-5133; Fig 1) is a β-lactamase inhibitor (BLI) characterized as a bicyclic boronate, uniquely possessing activity toward all four Ambler classes of β-lactamases, both serine and metallo, with the exception of class B IMP β-lactamases. The β-lactam-BLI (BL-BLI) combination cefepime-taniborbactam (FTB; Fig 1) is currently in phase 3 clinical trials. Structures of taniborbactam and cefepime. The β-lactamase inhibitor is in red and the β-lactam antibiotic is in black. Methods The activity of FTB was tested against 197 well-characterized clinical P. aeruginosa isolates that were part of PRIMERS (Platforms for Rapid Identification of MDR-Gram-negative bacteria and Evaluation of Resistance Studies). Nearly 58% of these strains were reported as carbapenem-non-susceptible. Porin changes, efflux pumps, and/or the presence of acquired class A or class B carbapenemases were previously reported. Broth microdilution minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined by CLSI M07 Ed. 11 methods with custom Sensititre frozen panels and interpreted using CLSI M100 Ed. 30 breakpoints. American Type Culture Collection strains were used for quality control. FEP breakpoints were provisionally used for FTB, where taniborbactam was fixed at 4 µg/mL. Results Percent susceptibility to BL agents alone was 45.2% for imipenem (IPM), 55.8% for meropenem (MEM), 60.9% for ceftazidime (CAZ), and 67.0% for FEP. The addition of BLI to BL increased % susceptibility for MEM-vaborbactam (MVB), 56.9%; ceftolozane-tazobactam (C/T), 77.7%, CAZ-avibactam (CZA), 79.7%, and FTB, 82.7%. MIC50s were in the susceptible range for all drugs except IPM, which was intermediate, and all MIC90s were in the resistant range (Table 1). Taniborbactam reduced FEP MIC by 2-fold in 32% of isolates and ≥ 4-fold in 13% of isolates. Against carbapenem-non-susceptible strains, % susceptibilities were: FTB, 68.5%, CZA, 63.0%, C/T, 59.3%; and MVB, 21.3% (Table 2). MIC50 and MIC90 values (µg/mL) and percent susceptibility (%S) for all P. aeruginosa strains (n=197). AMK, amikacin; ATM, aztreonam; C/T, ceftolozane-tazobactam; CAZ, ceftazidime; CZA, ceftazidime-avibactam; FEP, cefepime; FTB, cefepime-taniborbactam; IPM, imipenem; MEM, meropenem; MVB, meropenem-vaborbactam; TZP, piperacillin-tazobactam; TOB, tobramycin. *The breakpoints for FEP and MEM alone were provisionally applied to FTB and MVB, respectively. Tazobactam, avibactam, and taniborbactam were fixed at 4 µg/mL, while vaborbactam was fixed at 8 µg/mL. Breakpoints from CLSI M100, 31st ed, 2021. MIC50 and MIC90 values (µg/mL) and percent susceptibility (%S) for the subset of carbapenem-non-susceptible P. aeruginosa strains (n=108). AMK, amikacin; ATM, aztreonam; C/T, ceftolozane-tazobactam; CAZ, ceftazidime; CZA, ceftazidime-avibactam; FEP, cefepime; FTB, cefepime-taniborbactam; IPM, imipenem; MEM, meropenem; MVB, meropenem-vaborbactam; TZP, piperacillin-tazobactam; TOB, tobramycin. *The breakpoints for FEP and MEM alone were provisionally applied to FTB and MVB, respectively. Tazobactam, avibactam, and taniborbactam were fixed at 4 µg/mL, while vaborbactam was fixed at 8 µg/mL. Breakpoints from CLSI M100, 31st ed, 2021. Conclusion Compared to MVB, CZA, and C/T, FTB demonstrated the greatest activity against the 197 P. aeruginosa strains tested, including many carbapenem-non-susceptible strains. Pending completion of clinical development, FTB may be a promising therapeutic option for MDR P. aeruginosa infections. Disclosures Robin Patel, MD, 1928 Diagnostics (Consultant)BioFire Diagnostics (Grant/Research Support)ContraFect Corporation (Grant/Research Support)Curetis (Consultant)Hylomorph AG (Grant/Research Support)IDSA (Other Financial or Material Support, Editor’s Stipend)Infectious Diseases Board Review Course (Other Financial or Material Support, Honoraria)Mammoth Biosciences (Consultant)NBME (Other Financial or Material Support, Honoraria)Netflix (Consultant)Next Gen Diagnostics (Consultant)PathoQuest (Consultant)PhAST (Consultant)Qvella (Consultant)Samsung (Other Financial or Material Support, Patent Royalties)Selux Diagnostics (Consultant)Shionogi & Co., Ltd. (Grant/Research Support)Specific Technologies (Consultant)TenNor Therapeutics Limited (Grant/Research Support)Torus Biosystems (Consultant)Up-to-Date (Other Financial or Material Support, Honoraria) Robin Patel, MD, BioFire (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Grant/Research Support; Contrafect (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Grant/Research Support; IDSA (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Editor’s stipend; NBME, Up-to-Date and the Infectious Diseases Board Review Course (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Honoraria; Netflix (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Consultant; TenNor Therapeutics Limited (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Grant/Research Support; to Curetis, Specific Technologies, Next Gen Diagnostics, PathoQuest, Selux Diagnostics, 1928 Diagnostics, PhAST, Torus Biosystems, Mammoth Biosciences and Qvella (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Consultant David van Duin, MD, PhD, Entasis (Advisor or Review Panel member)genentech (Advisor or Review Panel member)Karius (Advisor or Review Panel member)Merck (Grant/Research Support, Advisor or Review Panel member)Pfizer (Consultant, Advisor or Review Panel member)Qpex (Advisor or Review Panel member)Shionogi (Grant/Research Support, Scientific Research Study Investigator, Advisor or Review Panel member)Utility (Advisor or Review Panel member) Vance G. Fowler, Jr., MD, MHS, Achaogen (Consultant)Advanced Liquid Logics (Grant/Research Support)Affinergy (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)Affinium (Consultant)Akagera (Consultant)Allergan (Grant/Research Support)Amphliphi Biosciences (Consultant)Aridis (Consultant)Armata (Consultant)Basilea (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)Bayer (Consultant)C3J (Consultant)Cerexa (Consultant, Other Financial or Material Support, Educational fees)Contrafect (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)Debiopharm (Consultant, Other Financial or Material Support, Educational fees)Destiny (Consultant)Durata (Consultant, Other Financial or Material Support, educational fees)Genentech (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)Green Cross (Other Financial or Material Support, Educational fees)Integrated Biotherapeutics (Consultant)Janssen (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)Karius (Grant/Research Support)Locus (Grant/Research Support)Medical Biosurfaces (Grant/Research Support)Medicines Co. (Consultant)MedImmune (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)Merck (Grant/Research Support)NIH (Grant/Research Support)Novadigm (Consultant)Novartis (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)Pfizer (Grant/Research Support)Regeneron (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)sepsis diagnostics (Other Financial or Material Support, Pending patent for host gene expression signature diagnostic for sepsis.)Tetraphase (Consultant)Theravance (Consultant, Grant/Research Support, Other Financial or Material Support, Educational fees)Trius (Consultant)UpToDate (Other Financial or Material Support, Royalties)Valanbio (Consultant, Other Financial or Material Support, Stock options)xBiotech (Consultant) Daniel D. Rhoads, MD, Becton, Dickinson and Company (Grant/Research Support) Michael Jacobs, MBBS, Venatorx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Grant/Research Support) Focco van den Akker, PhD, Venatorx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Grant/Research Support) David A. Six, PhD, Venatorx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Employee) Greg Moeck, PhD, Venatorx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Employee) Krisztina M. Papp-Wallace, Ph.D., Merck & Co., Inc. (Grant/Research Support)Spero Therapeutics, Inc. (Grant/Research Support)Venatorx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Grant/Research Support)Wockhardt Ltd. (Other Financial or Material Support, Research Collaborator) Robert A. Bonomo, MD, entasis (Research Grant or Support)Merck (Grant/Research Support)NIH (Grant/Research Support)VA Merit Award (Grant/Research Support)VenatoRx (Grant/Research Support)

Abstract Background Carbapenem resistance in Klebsiellae spp. arises through mutational and acquired mechanisms and is considered an “urgent threat” by the CDC. VNRX-5236 is a bicyclic boronate β-lactamase inhibitor (BLI) that combines oral bioavailability (via etzadroxil prodrug VNRX-7145; Figure 1) and activity against all three Ambler classes of serine β-lactamases. VNRX-7145 is currently in development with the oral cephalosporin, ceftibuten (CTB) (Figure 1). Figure 1. Structures of VNRX-7145, VNRX-5236, and ceftibuten. The β-lactamase inhibitors are in red and the β-lactam antibiotic is in black. Methods The activity of CTB/VNRX-5236 against 200 carbapenem-resistant Klebsiellae from the Consortium on Resistance against Carbapenems in Klebsiella (CRACKLE) was assessed in this study. Among these, 193 expressed class A KPC enzymes, one expressed a class B NDM enzyme, and six expressed a class D OXA-48 or variant enzyme. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined by broth microdilution (CLSI M07 Ed. 11) using the ThermoFisher Sensititre system with custom assay panels. MICs were interpreted using CLSI M100 Ed. 30, except the EUCAST breakpoint for CTB (S≤1 µg/mL) was used for CTB and was applied for comparative purposes to CTB/VNRX-5236 MICs where VNRX-5236 was fixed at 4 µg/mL. American Type Culture Collection strains were used for quality control. Results 92.5% of stains studied in this CRACKLE collection were provisionally susceptible to CTB/VNRX-5236. In comparison, strains were 95.5% and 98% susceptible to meropenem-vaborbactam (MVB) and ceftazidime-avibactam (CZA), respectively. MIC50s were in the susceptible range for CZA, MVB, and CTB/VNRX-5236; and resistant for CTB, ceftazidime (CAZ) and meropenem (MEM). MIC90s were in the susceptible range for CZA, MVB, and CTB/VNRX-5236 and resistant range for CAZ, MEM, and CTB (Table 1). One of four CZA-resistant and three of nine MVB non-susceptible strains were provisionally susceptible to CTB/VNRX-5236. MIC50 and MIC90 values (µg/mL) and percent susceptibility for Klebsiella pneumoniae strains (n=200). AMK, amikacin; CST, colistin; CAZ, ceftazidime; CZA, ceftazidime-avibactam; FEP, cefepime; MEM, meropenem; MVB, meropenem-vaborbactam; CTB, ceftibuten; TGC, tigecycline. * The breakpoint for CST is intermediate, as no susceptible breakpoint is available. ** The CTB breakpoint is valid only for urinary tract isolates. *** The breakpoint for CTB was provisionally used for CTB/VNRX-5236, where VNRX-5236 was fixed at 4 µg/mL. Conclusion The addition of VNRX-5236 enhanced the activity of CTB against the 200 Klebsiella isolates tested, reaching a total of 92.5% susceptibility. The prodrug (VNRX-7145) allows for oral administration, making it a potential option for step-down therapy. Importantly, VNRX-5236 has a broader spectrum of activity than existing oral BLIs, opening new treatment options for resistant infections as a key addition to the existing antibiotic arsenal. Disclosures Robin Patel, MD, 1928 Diagnostics (Consultant)BioFire Diagnostics (Grant/Research Support)ContraFect Corporation (Grant/Research Support)Curetis (Consultant)Hylomorph AG (Grant/Research Support)IDSA (Other Financial or Material Support, Editor’s Stipend)Infectious Diseases Board Review Course (Other Financial or Material Support, Honoraria)Mammoth Biosciences (Consultant)NBME (Other Financial or Material Support, Honoraria)Netflix (Consultant)Next Gen Diagnostics (Consultant)PathoQuest (Consultant)PhAST (Consultant)Qvella (Consultant)Samsung (Other Financial or Material Support, Patent Royalties)Selux Diagnostics (Consultant)Shionogi & Co., Ltd. (Grant/Research Support)Specific Technologies (Consultant)TenNor Therapeutics Limited (Grant/Research Support)Torus Biosystems (Consultant)Up-to-Date (Other Financial or Material Support, Honoraria) Robin Patel, MD, BioFire (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Grant/Research Support; Contrafect (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Grant/Research Support; IDSA (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Editor’s stipend; NBME, Up-to-Date and the Infectious Diseases Board Review Course (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Honoraria; Netflix (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Consultant; TenNor Therapeutics Limited (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Grant/Research Support; to Curetis, Specific Technologies, Next Gen Diagnostics, PathoQuest, Selux Diagnostics, 1928 Diagnostics, PhAST, Torus Biosystems, Mammoth Biosciences and Qvella (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Consultant David van Duin, MD, PhD, Entasis (Advisor or Review Panel member)genentech (Advisor or Review Panel member)Karius (Advisor or Review Panel member)Merck (Grant/Research Support, Advisor or Review Panel member)Pfizer (Consultant, Advisor or Review Panel member)Qpex (Advisor or Review Panel member)Shionogi (Grant/Research Support, Scientific Research Study Investigator, Advisor or Review Panel member)Utility (Advisor or Review Panel member) Vance G. Fowler, Jr., MD, MHS, Achaogen (Consultant)Advanced Liquid Logics (Grant/Research Support)Affinergy (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)Affinium (Consultant)Akagera (Consultant)Allergan (Grant/Research Support)Amphliphi Biosciences (Consultant)Aridis (Consultant)Armata (Consultant)Basilea (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)Bayer (Consultant)C3J (Consultant)Cerexa (Consultant, Other Financial or Material Support, Educational fees)Contrafect (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)Debiopharm (Consultant, Other Financial or Material Support, Educational fees)Destiny (Consultant)Durata (Consultant, Other Financial or Material Support, educational fees)Genentech (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)Green Cross (Other Financial or Material Support, Educational fees)Integrated Biotherapeutics (Consultant)Janssen (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)Karius (Grant/Research Support)Locus (Grant/Research Support)Medical Biosurfaces (Grant/Research Support)Medicines Co. (Consultant)MedImmune (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)Merck (Grant/Research Support)NIH (Grant/Research Support)Novadigm (Consultant)Novartis (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)Pfizer (Grant/Research Support)Regeneron (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)sepsis diagnostics (Other Financial or Material Support, Pending patent for host gene expression signature diagnostic for sepsis.)Tetraphase (Consultant)Theravance (Consultant, Grant/Research Support, Other Financial or Material Support, Educational fees)Trius (Consultant)UpToDate (Other Financial or Material Support, Royalties)Valanbio (Consultant, Other Financial or Material Support, Stock options)xBiotech (Consultant) Daniel D. Rhoads, MD, Becton, Dickinson and Company (Grant/Research Support) Michael Jacobs, MBBS, Venatorx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Grant/Research Support) Focco van den Akker, PhD, Venatorx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Grant/Research Support) David A. Six, PhD, Venatorx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Employee) Greg Moeck, PhD, Venatorx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Employee) Krisztina M. Papp-Wallace, Ph.D., Merck & Co., Inc. (Grant/Research Support)Spero Therapeutics, Inc. (Grant/Research Support)Venatorx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Grant/Research Support)Wockhardt Ltd. (Other Financial or Material Support, Research Collaborator) Robert A. Bonomo, MD, entasis (Research Grant or Support)Merck (Grant/Research Support)NIH (Grant/Research Support)VA Merit Award (Grant/Research Support)VenatoRx (Grant/Research Support)

Abstract Background Klebsiellae are Gram-negative pathogens responsible for serious nosocomial and community-acquired infections. Carbapenem resistance, both intrinsic and acquired, complicates therapy. Taniborbactam (formerly VNRX-5133; Fig 1) is a bicyclic boronate β-lactamase inhibitor (BLI) that inhibits all four Ambler classes of β-lactamase enzymes, both serine- and metallo-, with the notable exception of class B IMP β-lactamases. Taniborbactam is currently undergoing phase 3 clinical trials in combination with cefepime (FEP; Fig 1) as part of the β-lactam-BLI (BL-BLI) combination FEP-taniborbactam (FTB). Figure 1. Structures of taniborbactam and cefepime. The β-lactamase inhibitor is in red and the β-lactam antibiotic is in black. Methods We determined the activity of FTB against 200 carbapenem-resistant Klebsiellae (CRK) strains collected as part of the Antibiotic Resistance Leadership Group (ARLG) Consortium on Resistance against Carbapenems in Klebsiella (CRACKLE) study. Among these strains, 193 expressed class A KPCs, one expressed a class B NDM, and six expressed class D OXA-48 or variants. Broth microdilution minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC)s were determined using the ThermoFisher Sensititre system with custom assay panels. American Type Culture Collection strains were used for quality control. The susceptible-dose-dependent breakpoint for FEP was provisionally used for FTB, where taniborbactam was fixed at 4 µg/mL. Results Among the 200 Klebsiella strains tested, susceptibility for β-lactams alone ranged from 1% for ceftazidime (CAZ), 2.5% for meropenem, and 13.5% for FEP (Table 1). The addition of BLIs increased % susceptibility compared to BL alone to: 98% for CAZ-avibactam (CZA); 95.5% for MEM-vaborbactam (MVB); and 99.0% for FTB. MIC50 and MIC90 were in the susceptible and provisionally susceptible range for CZA and MVB, and in the provisionally susceptible range for FTB. Analyzing the CZA and MVB non-susceptible strains, 7 of 9 MVB non-susceptible strains and 2 of 4 CZA-resistant strains were provisionally susceptible to FTB. Table 1. MIC50 and MIC90 values (μg/mL) and percent susceptibility for Klebsiella pneumoniae strains (n=200). AMK, amikacin; CST, colistin; CAZ, ceftazidime; CZA, ceftazidime-avibactam; FEP, cefepime; FTB, cefepime-taniborbactam; MEM, meropenem; MVB, meropenem-vaborbactam; TGC, tigecycline. * The breakpoint for CST is intermediate, as no susceptible breakpoint is available. ** The susceptible-dose-dependent breakpoint for FEP alone was provisionally applied to FTB, where taniborbactam was fixed at 4 μg/mL. Breakpoints from CLSI M100, 31st ed, 2021. Conclusion The addition of taniborbactam restored susceptibility to FEP in 99.0% of CRACKLE isolates studied, comparable to CZA and MVB. Taniborbactam also restored FEP activity against some MVB- and CZA-resistant strains. FTB may provide a promising therapy for CRK infections. Disclosures Robin Patel, MD, 1928 Diagnostics (Consultant)BioFire Diagnostics (Grant/Research Support)ContraFect Corporation (Grant/Research Support)Curetis (Consultant)Hylomorph AG (Grant/Research Support)IDSA (Other Financial or Material Support, Editor’s Stipend)Infectious Diseases Board Review Course (Other Financial or Material Support, Honoraria)Mammoth Biosciences (Consultant)NBME (Other Financial or Material Support, Honoraria)Netflix (Consultant)Next Gen Diagnostics (Consultant)PathoQuest (Consultant)PhAST (Consultant)Qvella (Consultant)Samsung (Other Financial or Material Support, Patent Royalties)Selux Diagnostics (Consultant)Shionogi & Co., Ltd. (Grant/Research Support)Specific Technologies (Consultant)TenNor Therapeutics Limited (Grant/Research Support)Torus Biosystems (Consultant)Up-to-Date (Other Financial or Material Support, Honoraria) Robin Patel, MD, BioFire (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Grant/Research Support; Contrafect (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Grant/Research Support; IDSA (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Editor’s stipend; NBME, Up-to-Date and the Infectious Diseases Board Review Course (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Honoraria; Netflix (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Consultant; TenNor Therapeutics Limited (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Grant/Research Support; to Curetis, Specific Technologies, Next Gen Diagnostics, PathoQuest, Selux Diagnostics, 1928 Diagnostics, PhAST, Torus Biosystems, Mammoth Biosciences and Qvella (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Consultant David van Duin, MD, PhD, Entasis (Advisor or Review Panel member)genentech (Advisor or Review Panel member)Karius (Advisor or Review Panel member)Merck (Grant/Research Support, Advisor or Review Panel member)Pfizer (Consultant, Advisor or Review Panel member)Qpex (Advisor or Review Panel member)Shionogi (Grant/Research Support, Scientific Research Study Investigator, Advisor or Review Panel member)Utility (Advisor or Review Panel member) Vance G. Fowler, Jr., MD, MHS, Achaogen (Consultant)Advanced Liquid Logics (Grant/Research Support)Affinergy (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)Affinium (Consultant)Akagera (Consultant)Allergan (Grant/Research Support)Amphliphi Biosciences (Consultant)Aridis (Consultant)Armata (Consultant)Basilea (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)Bayer (Consultant)C3J (Consultant)Cerexa (Consultant, Other Financial or Material Support, Educational fees)Contrafect (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)Debiopharm (Consultant, Other Financial or Material Support, Educational fees)Destiny (Consultant)Durata (Consultant, Other Financial or Material Support, educational fees)Genentech (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)Green Cross (Other Financial or Material Support, Educational fees)Integrated Biotherapeutics (Consultant)Janssen (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)Karius (Grant/Research Support)Locus (Grant/Research Support)Medical Biosurfaces (Grant/Research Support)Medicines Co. (Consultant)MedImmune (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)Merck (Grant/Research Support)NIH (Grant/Research Support)Novadigm (Consultant)Novartis (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)Pfizer (Grant/Research Support)Regeneron (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)sepsis diagnostics (Other Financial or Material Support, Pending patent for host gene expression signature diagnostic for sepsis.)Tetraphase (Consultant)Theravance (Consultant, Grant/Research Support, Other Financial or Material Support, Educational fees)Trius (Consultant)UpToDate (Other Financial or Material Support, Royalties)Valanbio (Consultant, Other Financial or Material Support, Stock options)xBiotech (Consultant) Daniel D. Rhoads, MD, Becton, Dickinson and Company (Grant/Research Support) Michael Jacobs, MBBS, Venatorx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Grant/Research Support) Focco van den Akker, PhD, Venatorx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Grant/Research Support) David A. Six, PhD, Venatorx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Employee) Greg Moeck, PhD, Venatorx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Employee) Krisztina M. Papp-Wallace, Ph.D., Merck & Co., Inc. (Grant/Research Support)Spero Therapeutics, Inc. (Grant/Research Support)Venatorx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Grant/Research Support)Wockhardt Ltd. (Other Financial or Material Support, Research Collaborator) Robert A. Bonomo, MD, entasis (Research Grant or Support)Merck (Grant/Research Support)NIH (Grant/Research Support)VA Merit Award (Grant/Research Support)VenatoRx (Grant/Research Support)

Plazomicin was tested against 697 recently acquired carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from the Great Lakes region of the United States. Plazomicin MIC 50 and MIC 90 values were 0.25 and 1 mg/liter, respectively; 680 isolates (97.6%) were susceptible (MICs of ≤2 mg/liter), 9 (1.3%) intermediate (MICs of 4 mg/liter), and 8 (1.1%) resistant (MICs of >32 mg/liter). Resistance was associated with rmtF -, rmtB -, or armA -encoded 16S rRNA methyltransferases in all except 1 isolate.

AbstractBackgroundOvercoming β-lactam resistance in pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a major clinical challenge. Rapid molecular diagnostics (RMDs) have the potential to inform selection of empiric therapy in patients infected by P. aeruginosa.MethodsIn this study, we used a heterogeneous collection of 197 P. aeruginosa that included multidrug-resistant isolates to determine whether 2 representative RMDs (Acuitas Resistome test and VERIGENE gram-negative blood culture test) could identify susceptibility to 2 newer β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor (BL-BLI) combinations, ceftazidime/avibactam (CZA) and ceftolozane/tazobactam (TOL/TAZO).ResultsWe found that the studied RMD platforms were able to correctly identify BL-BLI susceptibility (susceptibility sensitivity, 100%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 97%, 100%) for both BLs-BLIs. However, their ability to detect resistance to these BLs-BLIs was lower (resistance sensitivity, 66%; 95% CI, 52%, 78% for TOL/TAZO and 33%; 95% CI, 20%, 49% for CZA).ConclusionsThe diagnostic platforms studied showed the most potential in scenarios where a resistance gene was detected or in scenarios where a resistance gene was not detected and the prevalence of resistance to TOL/TAZO or CZA is known to be low. Clinicians need to be mindful of the benefits and risks that result from empiric treatment decisions that are based on resistance gene detection in P. aeruginosa, acknowledging that such decisions are impacted by the prevalence of resistance, which varies temporally and geographically.

ABSTRACT The widespread dissemination of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter spp. has created significant therapeutic challenges. At present, rapid molecular diagnostics (RMDs) that can identify this phenotype are not commercially available. Two RMD platforms, PCR combined with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (PCR/ESI-MS) and molecular beacons (MB), for detecting genes conferring resistance/susceptibility to carbapenems in Acinetobacter spp. were evaluated. An archived collection of 200 clinical Acinetobacter sp. isolates was tested. Predictive values for susceptibility and resistance were estimated as a function of susceptibility prevalence and were based on the absence or presence of beta-lactamase ( bla ) NDM, VIM, IMP, KPC, and OXA carbapenemase genes (e.g., bla OXA-23 , bla OXA-24/40 , and bla OXA-58 found in this study) against the reference standard of MIC determinations. According to the interpretation of MICs, 49% ( n = 98) of the isolates were carbapenem resistant (as defined by either resistance or intermediate resistance to imipenem). The susceptibility sensitivities (95% confidence interval [CI]) for imipenem were 82% (74%, 89%) and 92% (85%, 97%) for PCR/ESI-MS and MB, respectively. Resistance sensitivities (95% CI) for imipenem were 95% (88%, 98%) and 88% (80%, 94%) for PCR/ESI-MS and MB, respectively. PRIMERS III establishes that RMDs can discriminate between carbapenem resistance and susceptibility in Acinetobacter spp. In the context of a known prevalence of resistance, SPVs and RPVs can inform clinicians regarding the best choice for empiric antimicrobial therapy against this multidrug-resistant pathogen.