ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The broad-spectrum cephalosporin ceftaroline, a metabolite of the prodrug ceftaroline fosamil, has shown in vitro activity against clinical isolates from pediatric patients. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, observer-blinded, active-controlled study (NCT01669980) assessed the safety and effectiveness of ceftaroline fosamil compared with ceftriaxone plus vancomycin in patients between 2 months and 17 years of age with complicated community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. Patients were randomized 3:1 (stratified by age cohort) to receive either ceftaroline fosamil or ceftriaxone plus vancomycin (comparator) as intravenous therapy for ≥3 days. Patients who met specific study criteria on or after Study Day 4 were permitted to switch to an oral study drug. Safety assessments were treatment-emergent adverse events, and the effectiveness of treatment was assessed by clinical and microbiologic outcomes. RESULTS: The median duration of intravenous treatment was 9.0 (range, 3.0-19.0) days in the ceftaroline fosamil group (N=30) and 7.5 (5.0-13.0) days in the comparator group (N=10). At least one treatment-emergent adverse event was experienced by 12/30 patients (40%) in the ceftaroline fosamil group and 8/10 (80%) in the comparator group; most treatment-emergent adverse events in both groups were mild to moderate in intensity. Clinical response rates in the modified intent-to-treat population were 52% (15/29 patients) in the ceftaroline fosamil group and 67% in the comparator group (6/9); clinical stability at Study Day 4 was 21% (6/29) and 22% (2/9), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Ceftaroline fosamil was well tolerated and showed similar clinical response rates to ceftriaxone plus vancomycin in pediatric patients with complicated community-acquired bacterial pneumonia.
