Concerns Over Drug-Resistance Continues To Dominate Medical Practice in Hospital-Treated Gram-Negative Infections

EXTON, Pa., Aug. 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- BioTrends Research Group and Arlington Medical Resources find in their TreatmentTrends^®: Gram Negative Infections (US) 2013 report that infection rates due to drug-resistant Gram-negative (GN) pathogens are on the rise with over two-thirds of surveyed hospital-based infectious disease specialists reporting increases in the incidence of infections due to these drug-resistant pathogens in the past two years. These drug-resistant GN pathogens include extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae, carbapenem-resistant pathogens, multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and fluoroquinolone-resistant GN pathogens. Furthermore, surveyed physicians estimate that nearly one-third of P. aeruginosa isolates in their hospitals are multidrug-resistant or resistant to three or more antibiotic drug classes, and approximately 20 percent of Escherichia coli isolates are not susceptible to 3rd and 4th generation cephalosporins.

When asked, unaided, of recent changes in prescribing practices and management of Gram-negative infections (GNIs), most physicians noted increased usage of the carbapenems, including meropenem, Merck's Invanz, Janssen's Doribax, and colistin. Moreover, earlier-line use of the carbapenems and more frequent prescribing of Pfizer's Tygacil was also indicated by physicians.

"Increased prescribing of combination regimens and last-resort therapies, including those with notable safety risks, further underscores the critical need for novel effective GN therapies," said Director of Infectious Diseases Brenda Perez-Cheeks, Ph.D. "Surveyed physicians are highlighting a pressing need for expanding the armamentarium for targeting multidrug-resistant GNIs and are asking for safe and effective new therapies. Antibiotics that can also demonstrate efficacy in difficult-to-treat GNIs, such as hospital-acquired pneumonia, are likely to see uptake in this market."

With respect to emerging GNI therapies, only 54 percent of surveyed physicians agree that new therapies in development will address the growing problem of drug resistance in GNIs, while only 24 percent of physicians reported unaided awareness of any GNI therapy in development. 

TreatmentTrends^®: Gram Negative Infections (US) 2013, an annual report that includes data from 102 ID specialists, provides insight into the treatment of patients with GNIs in the hospital setting. The report also explores the potential impact of agents in development, including Cubist's CXA-201 and Forest/AstraZeneca's CAZ-AVI.

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SOURCE BioTrends Research Group