In vitro activities of a new lipopeptide, HMR 1043, against susceptible and resistant gram-positive isolates.

The purpose of this study was to compare the activity of HMR 1043 with those of daptomycin and teicoplanin against gram-positive isolates. Susceptibility tests were performed for 52 strains, 26 parental strains, including staphylococcal, streptococcal, enterococcal, and listerial strains, and 26 HMR 1043-resistant mutants obtained from parental strains by using the Szybalski method. Agar dilution and disk diffusion susceptibility tests were performed by the procedures outlined by the NCCLS. HMR 1043 demonstrated good activity against susceptible and resistant gram-positive bacteria. The activity of HMR 1043 in vitro was less influenced by the presence of calcium ions than that of daptomycin. Susceptibility test breakpoints were not defined because of the poor correlation coefficients obtained with the different disks tested.