In vitro antibacterial activity of SM-1652, a new broad-spectrum cephalosporin with antipseudomonal activity.

SM-1652 (sodium 7-[D(-)-alpha-(4-hydroxy-6-methylpyridine-3-carboxamido)-alpha-(4-hydroxyphenyl)acetamido]-3-[(1-methyl-1H-tetrazol-5-yl) thiomethyl]-3-cephem-4-carboxylate) is a new semisynthetic cephalosporin derivative with a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity. Its in vitro activity against gram-positive bacteria was comparable to that of cefazolin. SM-1652 exceeded cefazolin in potency and broadness of antibacterial activity against such Enterobacteriaceae as indole-positive Proteus spp., Enterobacter cloacae, and Serratia marcescens. A remarkable feature of the spectrum of SM-1652 is its high activity against Pseudomonadaceae. Against 200 clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, SM-1652 was significantly more active than cefoperazone, cefotaxime, and sulbenicillin and as active as cefsulodin. The activities of SM-1652 against Pseudomonas maltophilia and Pseudomonas cepacia were superior to those of cefoperazone, cefotaxime, cefsulodin, sulbenicillin, and gentamicin. SM-1652 was relatively stable to hydrolysis with plasmid-mediated penicillinases and cephalosporinases produced by gram-negative bacteria.