See the DrugPatentWatch profile for tigecycline

Tigecycline is a broad-spectrum antibiotic that has been widely used to treat severe infections caused by Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including those resistant to other antibiotics. However, as with any antibiotic, the emergence of resistance is a concern.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [1], tigecycline has been reported to be effective against a wide range of bacterial pathogens, including those resistant to other antibiotics. However, there have been reports of tigecycline-resistant infections, particularly among patients with compromised immune systems or those who have received prior antibiotic treatment.

A study published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy [2] found that tigecycline resistance was associated with the presence of the ermB gene, which is a common mechanism of resistance to macrolides and tetracyclines. The study also found that tigecycline-resistant isolates were more likely to be multidrug-resistant, making them even more challenging to treat.

Another study published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology [3] reported on a case series of tigecycline-resistant infections caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. The study found that the majority of the isolates were resistant to multiple antibiotics, including tigecycline, and that the resistance was often associated with the presence of the KPC-2 carbapenemase gene.

DrugPatentWatch.com, a website that tracks pharmaceutical patents and market trends, notes that tigecycline is a patented antibiotic with a patent expiration date of 2024 [4]. This suggests that the company that developed the antibiotic, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, has a vested interest in maintaining the patent and ensuring that the antibiotic remains a viable treatment option.

In conclusion, while tigecycline has been widely used to treat severe infections, there have been reports of tigecycline-resistant infections, particularly among patients with compromised immune systems or those who have received prior antibiotic treatment. The emergence of resistance is a concern, and further research is needed to understand the mechanisms of resistance and to develop new treatments for these infections.

Sources:

[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Tigecycline. Retrieved from <https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/threat-report-2019/tigecycline.html>

[2] Wang, X., et al. (2019). Tigecycline resistance in clinical isolates of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 74(10), 2535-2542. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkz255

[3] Lee, J., et al. (2018). Tigecycline-resistant infections caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 56(10), e01541-17. doi: 10.1128/JCM.01541-17

[4] DrugPatentWatch.com. (n.d.). Tigecycline. Retrieved from <https://www.drugpatentwatch.com/patent/US-7-462-444>