Oxazolidinone antibacterial agents

Abstract

The golden age of antibacterial agent discovery commenced with the identification of the sulfa drugs in the mid 1930s and concluded with the emergence of the quinolones in the early 1960s (Fig. 8.1). It is interesting to note that the vast majority of these early antibiotics were derived from natural products. Somewhat surprisingly, at least through the beginning of the year 2000, all subsequent marketed antibiotics have been largely semi-synthetic or synthetic variations of pre-existing antibacterial scaffolds.