Given the change in guidance, a post hoc analysis of day 4 response rates was performed among patients enrolled in the FOCUS studies who met the following inclusion criteria: received at least one dose of study drug, had CAP that met radiographic criteria, had at least one symptom at baseline, and had one or more acceptable baseline typical pathogens [21]. This change

in endpoint is clinically relevant because clinicians are unlikely to wait until the end of therapy to assess clinical response in practice. Rather, clinicians’ early assessment of clinical response is more likely MK-8776 cell line to guide therapy and subsequent therapy changes. Hence, the updated trial design improved the external validity of the clinical findings. The early response endpoint is also consistent

with the definition of a patient eligible for hospital discharge in the ATS/IDSA CAP guidelines [14]. In the combined analysis of FOCUS 1 and FOCUS 2, response rates at day 4 were 69.5% for ceftaroline and 59.4% for ceftriaxone (difference 10.1%, 95% CI, −0.6% to 20.6%). Among patients MEK162 ic50 infected with S. pneumoniae, day 4 response rates were statistically significantly GF120918 manufacturer higher with ceftaroline (73%, 54/74) relative to ceftriaxone (56%, 42/75) (difference 17%, 95% CI, 1.4–31.6%; p = 0.03). The response rates at day 4 for patients with MSSA were 58.3% (14/24) for those treated with ceftaroline and 54.8% (17/31) for ceftriaxone (difference 3.5%, 95% CI, −24.7% to 26.2%) [21]. Interpretation of Findings from Phase III Studies Collectively, Methocarbamol these findings suggest that, with regard to efficacy, ceftaroline is a non-inferior alternative to ceftriaxone for the treatment of PORT III and IV hospitalized patient with CABP. The study findings also indicate that ceftaroline has utility in the empiric treatment of non-critically hospitalized patients

with CAP. The comparative data were highly notable for patients with culture-confirmed S. pneumoniae, the most common cause of CABP. The more favorable early response at day 4 with ceftaroline among those with culture-confirmed S. pneumoniae is suggestive of a more accelerated time to clinical stability, and hence, hospital discharge. Although the definitive reason in response rates at day 4 and TOC among patients with culture-confirmed S. pneumoniae are unclear, the differences in outcomes may be explained by ceftaroline’s enhanced affinity for penicillin-binding protein (PBP) 1a, 2a, 2b, and 2x as compared to ceftriaxone [22]. In particular, increased affinity for PBP2x increases in vitro efficacy against penicillin-intermediate, penicillin-resistant, and multidrug-resistant S. pneumoniae (MDRSP) [23]. However, the clinical relevance is unclear as there were only eight documented cases of MDRSP in the FOCUS trials.