A Review of Newly Approved Antibiotic Treatment for Community-Acquired Bacterial Pneumonia: Lefamulin

Abstract

Lefamulin is a novel systemic, semi-synthetic pleuromutilin class of antimicrobials that has been shown to be effective against common respiratory pathogens associated with community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP). CABP, a common infection among older people, leads to an increase in hospitalizations and mortality. Therefore, the use of lefamulin could be beneficial for CABP treatment in patients who are 65 years of age or older.<br/> The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved lefamulin for the treatment of CABP, which is available in both intravenous and oral formulations. This medication offers the benefit of not having any cross-resistance to other antibiotics and is highly concentrated in lung tissues. Lefamulin is unique because it has an induced-fit mechanism of action which inhibits bacterial protein synthesis. The clinical efficacy of lefamulin has demonstrated noninferiority to current standard-of-care for CABP, and patients, generally, have tolerated it well in clinical trials.<br/> Lefamulin does not require dosage adjustment in renal impairment. However, the drug does requires dosage adjustment in severe hepatic impairment, based on Child-Pugh scores and clinical consideration in patients with severe hepatic impairment based on Child-Pugh scores. Though the benefit of adding lefamulin to a formulary is still in question; its potential to be a beneficial treatment for CABP is encouraging.