Macrolones Are a Novel Class of Macrolide Antibiotics Active against Key Resistant Respiratory PathogensIn VitroandIn Vivo
ABSTRACTAs we face an alarming increase in bacterial resistance to current antibacterial chemotherapeutics, expanding the available therapeutic arsenal in the fight against resistant bacterial pathogens causing respiratory tract infections is of high importance. The antibacterial potency of macrolones, a novel class of macrolide antibiotics, against key respiratory pathogens was evaluatedin vitroandin vivo. MIC values againstStreptococcus pneumoniae,Streptococcus pyogenes,Staphylococcus aureus, andHaemophilus influenzaestrains sensitive to macrolide antibiotics and with defined macrolide resistance mechanisms were determined. The propensity of macrolones to induce the expression of inducibleermgenes was tested by the triple-disk method and incubation in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of compounds.In vivoefficacy was assessed in a murine model ofS. pneumoniae-induced pneumonia, and pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles in mice were determined. Thein vitroantibacterial profiles of macrolones were superior to those of marketed macrolide antibiotics, including the ketolide telithromycin, and the compounds did not induce the expression of inducibleermgenes. They acted as typical protein synthesis inhibitors in anEscherichia colitranscription/translation assay. Macrolones were characterized by low to moderate systemic clearance, a large volume of distribution, a long half-life, and low oral bioavailability. They were highly efficacious in a murine model of pneumonia after intraperitoneal application even against anS. pneumoniaestrain with constitutive resistance to macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B antibiotics. Macrolones are the class of macrolide antibiotics with an outstanding antibacterial profile and reasonable PK parameters resulting in goodin vivoefficacy.