Overview
SUL-DUR is an intravenous, or IV, drug that is a combination of sulbactam, an IV β-lactam antibiotic, and durlobactam, a novel broad-spectrum IV β-lactamase inhibitor, or BLI.
In 2018, Zai obtained an exclusive license of development and commercialization in Greater China (Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan), Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Japan for sulbactam-durlobactam from Entasis.
Mechanism of Action
Acinetobacter is a Gram-negative, opportunistic human pathogen that predominantly infects critically ill patients often resulting in severe pneumonia and bloodstream infections; but it can also infect other body sites such as the urinary tract and the skin. Acinetobacter is considered a global threat in the healthcare setting due in part to its ability to acquire multidrug resistance at rates not previously seen in other bacteria. Based on current carbapenem resistance rates, we estimate there are in excess of 300,000 hospital-treated carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter infections annually across the United States, Europe, the Middle East and China for which significant morbidity and mortality exists due to limited treatment options.
Durlobactam is a novel broad-spectrum intravenous inhibitor of class A, C and D beta-lactamases. Durlobactam restores the in vitro activity of multiple β-lactams against Gram-negative, multidrug-resistant pathogens. Sulbactam is a penicillin derivative and is used widely as an inhibitor of β-lactamases. It possesses intrinsic antimicrobial activity against A. baumannii. Increasing resistance of A. baumannii to sulbactam has reduced its usefulness in treating infections caused by this bacterium. In preclinical studies, durlobactam restored sulbactam antibacterial activity against A. baumannii.