Abstract
Linezolid (ZYVOX®), a novel synthesized antibacterial drug, was first approved in April 2001, as an antibacterial against vancomycin (VCM) -resistant enterococci in Japan. LZD has a wide spectrum of antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria with MIC90 of 0.5 - 4 mcg/mL. These antibacterial activities of LZD are similar to those of vancomycin (VCM). LZD also has similar antibacterial activities against drug-resistant bacteria including VRE and MRSA. Protein-synthesis inhibitors, e.g., macrolides, tetracycline, aminoglycosides, and chloramphenicol, are known to bind the 30S and 50S subunits of ribosomes and inhibit the elongation cycle of protein synthesis. In contrast, LZD was found to inhibit the process of formation of the 50S, 30S-mRNA, and fMet-tRNA complex in the ribosome cycle, but not the elongation cycle. Due to this novel mechanism of action, LZD does not have a cross-resistance to drug-resistant bacteria and development of its resistance is quite slow. The antibacterial activity of LZD against VRE is bacteriostatic. In vivo antibacterial activity of orally administered LZD was demonstrated in a mouse model of systemic infection by VRE. When administered orally prior to the abscess formation in a mouse model of soft tissue infection by VRE, LZD showed similar antibacterial activity against VRE infection to that against VCM-susceptible enterococci. LZD is rapidly absorbed following oral administration and bioavailability when compared with intravenous administration is almost 100%. LZD administered orally twice-daily showed excellent efficacy in clinical trials with VRE-infected patients.
