title: Oxazolidinones: a new class of antibacterials.
abstract: The oxazolidinones represent the first truly new class of antibacterial agents to reach the marketplace in several decades. They have a unique mechanism of action involving inhibition of the initiation step of protein synthesis and are not cross-resistant to other classes of antibiotics. The first marketed member of that class, linezolid (Zyvox), shows good efficacy with an impressive antibacterial spectrum (including activity against gram-positive organisms resistant to other drugs), and a pharmacodynamic/pharmacokinetic relationship best characterized by time above the minimum inhibitory concentration. The agent is effective by both the intravenous and oral route of administration. Although technically classified as bacteriostatic against a number of pathogens in vitro, linezolid behaves in vivo like a bactericidal antibiotic.
authors.affiliation: Discovery Research, Pharmacia, Kalamazoo, MI 49007, USA. gary.e.zurenko@pharmacia.com
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Zurenko
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Shinabarger
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Aristoff
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Tarpley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000145:classification* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D023303:Oxazolidinones / Q000145:classification* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023303:Oxazolidinones