Ceftolozane/Tazobactam Plus Metronidazole for Complicated Intra-abdominal Infections in an Era of Multidrug Resistance: Results From a Randomized, Double-Blind, Phase 3 Trial (ASPECT-cIAI)

Complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAIs) are tissue-invasive infections leading to abscess formation or generalized peritonitis. The management of cIAIs involves operative or percutaneous intervention to obtain surgical control of the source. Nonetheless, patients with cIAIs are at risk of sepsis and mortality [1–4]. Empiric antimicrobial therapy with appropriate agents is an important component of treatment [5, 6]. Initial empiric therapy that is not effective against infecting pathogens increases costs, treatment failure, and death [7–10]. Because of this, cIAIs are an important infection category for evaluation of the efficacy of investigational agents. The well-recognized appearance of antimicrobial resistance among gram-negative bacteria has stimulated the development of novel agents [11], particularly those targeting Enterobacteriaceae that produce extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) [12], which confer resistance to most β-lactam antimicrobial agents [1]. Ceftolozane/tazobactam consists of a novel cephalosporin and an established β-lactamase inhibitor that is being developed to address antimicrobial resistance in serious infections caused by gram-negative pathogens, including cIAI, complicated urinary tract infection/pyelonephritis (cUTI), and ventilated nosocomial pneumonia. In vitro activity of ceftolozane/tazobactam has been confirmed against ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa [13–16], and some Streptococcus species [17]. The results from a phase 2 study with ceftolozane/tazobactam in combination with metronidazole in cIAI supported further development for this indication [18]. We now report the results from ASPECT-cIAI (Assessment of the Safety Profile and Efficacy of Ceftolozane/Tazobactam in Complicated Intra-abdominal Infections), a large global phase 3 clinical program that evaluated intravenous ceftolozane/tazobactam plus metronidazole vs meropenem for the treatment of hospitalized adult patients with cIAI.