Daptomycin - a novel antibiotic against Gram-positive pathogens

Daptomycin is a novel member of a new class of antimicrobial agents used in treating resistant Gram-positive infections. These infections are becoming more commonplace and treatment options are limited. At present, daptomycin is approved for use in the US for complicated skin and skin-structure infections that are a common complication of surgery, diabetic foot ulcers, and burns. The most common causative organisms in these types of infections are Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Group C and G streptococci. Traditionally, these infections have been treated with penicillin and cephalosporins, but resistance to these agents is widespread and increasing. Of particular concern is the rapid increase in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). The SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme reported that similar to 30% of S. aureus isolates from skin and skin-structure infections were MRSA. The standard treatment for MRSA infections is vancomycin but resistance to this agent is also developing. There is a continuing need for the development of new antibiotics with Gram-positive activity, to combat multi-drug-resistant Gram-positive infections.