From the Research
Yes, there is an oral carbapenem antibiotic, tebipenem-pivoxil, which has been approved in Japan for pediatric use and is in clinical development for adult use. This is based on the most recent evidence from 1, which discusses the development and potential use of tebipenem-pivoxil as the first oral carbapenem antibiotic.
Key Points
- Tebipenem-pivoxil is an oral prodrug that offers an oral option for the treatment of serious Gram-negative infections, particularly as step-down therapy 1.
- The development of oral carbapenems like tebipenem-pivoxil addresses the urgent need for effective treatments against fluoroquinolone-resistant and ESBL-producing Gram-negative pathogens 1.
- Traditional carbapenems, such as meropenem, imipenem, ertapenem, and doripenem, are only available in intravenous or intramuscular formulations due to their poor oral bioavailability and instability in the acidic environment of the stomach 2, 3, 4, 5.
- The availability of an oral carbapenem could expand treatment options for patients requiring carbapenem therapy outside the hospital setting, potentially reducing the need for outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) programs or transitioning to alternative oral antibiotics 1.