In vitro activity of doripenem and other carbapenems against contemporary Gram-negative pathogens isolated from hospitalised patients in the Asia-Pacific region: results of the COMPACT Asia-Pacific Study

Abstract The Comparative Activity of Carbapenems Testing (COMPACT) Study was designed to determine the in vitro potency of doripenem compared with imipenem and meropenem against a large number of contemporary Gram-negative pathogens from more than 100 centres across Europe and the Asia-Pacific region and to assess the reliability of Etest methodology for doripenem minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination against these pathogens. Data from eight countries within the Asia-Pacific region, which collected 1612 bacterial isolates, are presented here. Etest methodology was found to be a reliable method for MIC determination. Doripenem showed in vitro activity similar to or better than meropenem and at least four-fold better than imipenem against Enterobacteriaceae. Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa , doripenem was also the most active of the three carbapenems in vitro. However, in vitro results do not necessarily correlate with clinical outcome.