Telavancin is an antibacterial agent used in the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections and types of hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia. Telavancin is a semi-synthetic derivative of vanocymycin that has bactericidal activity against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other gram-positive bacteria. It is used for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSI) caused by gram-positive bacteria like methicillin-susceptible or -resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-susceptible Enterococcus faecalis, and Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae, or Streptococcus anginosus group. It is also used for the treatment of adult patients with hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia (HAP) and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia (VAP), known or suspected to be caused by susceptible isolates of Staphylococcus aureus (including methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant S. aureus). Telavancin prevents polymerization of N-acetylmuramic acid (NAM) and N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) and cross-linking of peptidoglycan by binding to D-Ala-D-Ala. As a result, inhibition of bacterial cell wall synthesis occurs. Furthermore, telavancin disrupts membrane potential and cell permeability as a result of the lipophillic side chain moiety. This additional bactericidal mechanism is what sets telavancin apart from vancomycin.

Telavancin Pathway References