Sulbactam-Durlobactam: A New Weapon to ATTACK Acinetobacter baumannii

Infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) have limited therapeutic options. Sulbactam-durlobactam (sul-dur) is a β-lactam–β-lactamase inhibitor (BL/BLI) combination recently approved by the FDA for patients with hospital-acquired or ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia (HABP/VABP) caused by A. baumannii-calcoaceticus (ABC). Sulbactam, a BLI developed >40 years ago, was often combined with ampicillin; however, some Acinetobacter strains produce β-lactamases that can inactivate sulbactam. Durlobactam is a novel non–β-lactam BLI that is a potent inhibitor of β-lactamases found in CRAB; as such, durlobactam protects sulbactam from hydrolysis by these enzymes. In an international phase 3 trial across 59 sites,…