Antibacterial agents: patent highlights July to December 2002.

Forty-five patents dealing with disclosures on the different classes of antibacterial agents, reported between July and December 2002, are selected for review. Disclosures dealing with novel derivatives of known antibacterials (beta-lactam, oxazolidinone, macrolide, quinolone, tetracycline and peptide derivatives), development of new processes and formulations to improve cost, activity and stability are highlighted. In addition, patent disclosures on novel oxazolidinone derivatives with broad-spectrum activity extended against fastidious Gram-negative bacilli are highlighted in comparison to linezolid. Novel antibacterial agents (peptide-deformylase inhibitors) that could serve as potential lead compounds are also presented.