Review of Ceftazidime-Avibactam for the Treatment of Infections Caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic Gram-negative pathogen that causes a range of serious infections that are often challenging to treat, as this pathogen can express multiple resistance mechanisms, including multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) phenotypes. Ceftazidime-avibactam is a combination antimicrobial agent comprising ceftazidime, a third-generation semisynthetic cephalosporin, and avibactam, a novel non-beta-lactam beta-lactamase inhibitor. This review explores the potential role of ceftazidime-avibactam for the treatment of P. aeruginosa infections. Ceftazidime-avibactam has good in vitro activity against P. aeruginosa relative to comparator beta-lactam agents and fluoroquinolones, comparable to amikacin and ceftolozane-tazobactam. In Phase 3 clinical trials, ceftazidime-avibactam has generally demonstrated similar clinical and microbiological outcomes to comparators in patients with complicated intra-abdominal infections, complicated urinary tract infections or hospital-acquired/ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by P. aeruginosa. Although real-world data are limited, favourable outcomes with ceftazidime-avibactam treatment have been reported in some patients with MDR and XDR P. aeruginosa infections. Thus, ceftazidime-avibactam may have a potentially important role in the management of serious and complicated P. aeruginosa infections, including those caused by MDR and XDR strains.

Automated summary

Ceftazidime-avibactam shows good in vitro activity against P. aeruginosa and has demonstrated similar clinical and microbiological outcomes to comparators in Phase 3 clinical trials. Limited real-world data also suggest favorable outcomes with ceftazidime-avibactam treatment in some patients with MDR and XDR P. aeruginosa infections, indicating its potentially important role in managing serious and complicated P. aeruginosa infections.