In vitro activity of biapenem against clinical isolates of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.

The in vitro activity of biapenem, a new carbapenem previously designated L-627, was compared with those of imipenem and several other antimicrobial agents against 771 clinical bacterial isolates. Against gram-positive organisms, biapenem was found to be approximately as active as imipenem, inhibiting 90% of isolates of most species at concentrations within one dilution of the MIC of imipenem for 90% of the isolates. Against gram-negative organisms and Bacteroides fragilis, biapenem was at least as active as and often more active than imipenem, with MICs for 90% of the isolates two- to eightfold lower than those of imipenem.