In vitro activity of the novel pleuromutilin lefamulin (BC-3781) and effect of efflux pump inactivation on multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant neisseria gonorrhoeae

Abstract

We evaluated the activity of the novel semisynthetic pleuromutilin lefamulin, inhibiting protein synthesis and growth, and the effect of efflux pump inactivation on clinical gonococcal isolates and reference strains (n 251), including numerous multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant isolates. Lefamulin showed potent activity against all gonococcal isolates, and no significant cross-resistance to other antimicrobials was identified. Further studies of lefamulin are warranted, including in vitro selection and mechanisms of resistance, pharmacokinetics/pharmaco-dynamics, optimal dosing, and performance in randomized controlled trials.