Activity of cefiderocol, imipenem/relebactam, cefepime/taniborbactam and cefepime/zidebactam against ceftolozane/tazobactam- and ceftazidime/avibactam-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Objectives To evaluate the activity of cefiderocol, imipenem/relebactam, cefepime/taniborbactam and cefepime/zidebactam against a clinical and laboratory collection of ceftolozane/tazobactam- and ceftazidime/avibactam-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa beta-lactamase mutants. Methods The activity of cefiderocol, imipenem/relebactam, cefepime/taniborbactam, cefepime/zidebactam and comparators was evaluated against a collection of 30 molecularly characterized ceftolozane/tazobactam- and/or ceftazidime/avibactam-resistant P. aeruginosa isolates from patients previously treated with cephalosporins. To evaluate how the different beta-lactamases in the clinical isolates affected the resistance to these agents, a copy of each bla(PDC), bla(OXA-2) and bla(OXA-10) ancestral and mutant allele from the clinical isolates was cloned in pUCp24 and expressed in dual bla(PDC)-oprD (for bla(PDC)-like genes) or single oprD (for bla(OXA-2)-like and bla(OXA-10)-like genes) PAO1 knockout mutants. MICs were determined using reference methodologies. Results For all isolates, MICs were higher than 4 and/or 8 mg/L for ceftolozane/tazobactam and ceftazidime/avibactam, respectively. Cefiderocol was the most active agent, showing activity against all isolates, except one clinical isolate that carried an R504C substitution in PBP3 (MIC = 16 mg/L). Imipenem/relebactam was highly active against all isolates, except two clinical isolates that carried the VIM-20 carbapenemase. Cefepime/zidebactam and cefepime/taniborbactam displayed activity against most of the isolates, but resistance was observed in some strains with PBP3 amino acid substitutions or that overexpressed mexAB-oprM or mexXY efflux pumps. Evaluation of transformants revealed that OXA-2 and OXA-10 extended-spectrum variants cause a 2-fold increase in the MIC of cefiderocol relative to parental enzymes. Conclusions Cefiderocol, imipenem/relebactam, cefepime/taniborbactam and cefepime/zidebactam show promising and complementary in vitro activity against ceftolozane/tazobactam- and ceftazidime/avibactam-resistant P. aeruginosa. These agents may represent potential therapeutic options for ceftolozane/tazobactam- and ceftazidime/avibactam-resistant P. aeruginosa infections.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the activity of new drugs against ceftolozane/tazobactam- and ceftazidime/avibactam-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. Cefiderocol and cefepime/taniborbactam were the most active agents. However, resistance was observed in some strains with specific mutations or overexpression of efflux pumps.