In vitro activity of an oral iminomethoxy aminothiazolyl cephalosporin, R-3746

Abstract

The in vitro activity of R-3746, an iminomethoxy aminothiazolyl cephalosporin with a CH2OCH3 moiety at position 3, was compared with those of other antibiotics. R-3746 inhibited the majority of hemolytic streptococci (groups A, B, C, F, and G) and Streptococcus pneumoniae at less than 0.06 micrograms/ml, which was comparable to the activity of amoxicillin, 2- to 8-fold more active than cefixime, and 16- to 64-fold more active than cefaclor and cephalexin. Ninety percent of beta-lactamase-producing Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria gonorrhoeae were inhibited at a concentration 0.25 micrograms/ml, but it was less active against Branhamella spp. It did not inhibit (MIC, greater than 16 micrograms/ml) enterococci, viridans group streptococci, or methicillin-resistant staphylococci. The MICs of R-3746 for 90% of strains tested for Escherichia coli; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Citrobacter diversus; Proteus mirabilis; and Salmonella, Shigella, and Yersinia spp. were less than or equal to 1 micrograms/ml. It was two- to eightfold less active than cefixime but was markedly superior to cefaclor, cephalexin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, and trimethoprimsulfamethoxazole. R-3746 inhibited 50% of Enterobacter cloacae, Enterobacter aerogenes, Citrobacter freundii, Morganella spp., Providencia spp., Proteus vulgaris, and Serratia marcescens at less than or equal to 8 micrograms/ml. Pseudomonas spp. were resistant. Fifty percent of Clostridium spp. were inhibited by 0.5 micrograms/ml, but MICs for Bacteroides spp. were greater than 128 micrograms/ml. R-3746 was not appreciably hydrolyzed by most chromosomal and plasmid-mediated beta-lactamases.