Doripenem: a new carbapenem in the treatment of nosocomial infection.

Difficult-to-treat infections caused by gram-negative pathogens are common in the hospital setting, particularly those caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter species, and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae, all of which are capable of developing resistance to common antimicrobial agents. New drugs are urgently needed to combat this threat. In this supplement, researchers in infectious diseases discuss the role of doripenem, a newly approved carbapenem, in the treatment of serious nosocomial infections and review new data on doripenem for the treatment of nosocomial pneumonia, including ventilator-associated pneumonia. The topics addressed include antimicrobial resistance and the available therapeutic options against gram-negative pathogens, the in vitro activity of doripenem, the efficacy and safety of intravenous infusion of doripenem, and the clinical and economic consequences of ventilator-associated pneumonia. Based on the strength of the clinical evidence presented, doripenem appears to provide broad-spectrum coverage and antipseudomonal activity, leading to advantageous clinical outcomes, particularly in patients at risk of infection with drug-resistant pathogens.