Avibactam

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Avibactam is a non-β-lactam drug that blocks many β-lactamase enzymes, helping certain antibiotics work again against resistant bacteria. It was developed by Actavis (now Teva) together with AstraZeneca.

What it’s used for
- In combination with ceftazidime, avibactam is sold as Avycaz and is used to treat complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI) and complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAI) caused by resistant bacteria.

How it works
- Avibactam inhibits several common β-lactamases, including Class A (like KPCs and many ESBLs), Class C (AmpC), and some Class D enzymes (like OXA-23 and OXA-48). It does not effectively inhibit most Class B metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs).

Special use with MBL-producing bacteria
- For infections caused by bacteria that produce MBLs, avibactam can be given with aztreonam. Aztreonam is usually stable to MBLs, but other enzymes can inactivate it, so avibactam helps protect it. This combination is sold as Emblaveo (aztreonam/avibactam).

Other combinations
- Avibactam is also combined with meropenem (meropenem/avibactam), sold as Meropran-AV.

How it’s given
- Avibactam is administered intravenously.