Cefepime Hydrochloride

Cefepime Hydrochloride is the hydrochloride salt of Cefepime. The addition of the hydrochloride salt enhances aqueous solubility. It is similar in potency to Cefepime, a broad-spectrum, fourth-generation cephalosporin antibiotic that was patented in 1982 by Bristol-Myers Squibb. Cefepime is bactericidal against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, disrupting bacterial cell wall synthesis. It appears to be intrinsically more resistant to hydrolysis by β-lactamases and is commonly used in antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Cefepime Hydrochloride is soluble in water.

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Background

Like β-lactams, cephalosporins interfere with penicillin binding protein (PBP) activity involved in the final phase of peptidoglycan synthesis. PBP’s are enzymes which catalyze a pentaglycine crosslink between alanine and lysine residues providing additional strength to the cell wall. Without a pentaglycine crosslink, the integrity of the cell wall is severely compromised and ultimately leads to cell lysis and death. Resistance to cephalosporins is commonly due to cells containing plasmid encoded β-lactamases. Interestingly, Cefepime is resistant to various β-lactamases encoded by otherwise resistant β-lactam bacteria strains.