In Vitro Antibacterial Activities of DQ-113, a Potent Quinolone, against Clinical Isolates

The antibacterial activity of DQ-113, formerly D61-1113, was compared with those of antibacterial agents currently available. MICs at which 90% of the isolates tested are inhibited (MIC(90)s) of DQ-113 against clinical isolates of methicillin-susceptible and -resistant Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-susceptible and -resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci were 0.03, 0.008, 0.03, and 0.06 μg/ml, respectively. Moreover, DQ-113 showed the most potent activity against ofloxacin-resistant and methicillin-resistant S. aureus, with a MIC(90) of 0.25μg/ml. DQ-113 inhibited the growth of all strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, including penicillin-resistant strains, and Streptococcus pyogenes at 0.06 μg/ml, and DQ-113 was more active than the other quinolones tested against Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium with MIC90s of 0.25 and 2 μg/ml, respectively. Against vancomycin-resistant enterococci, DQ-113 showed the highest activity among the reference compounds, with a MIC range from 0.25 to 2 μg/ml. DQ-113 also showed a potent activity against Haemophilus influenzae, including ampicillin-resistant strains (MIC90, 0.015 μg/ml), and Moraxella catarrhalis (MIC90, 0.03 μg/ml). The activity of DQ-113 was roughly comparable to that of levofloxacin against all species of Enterobacteriaceae. The MICs of DQ-113 against ofloxacin-susceptible Pseudomonas aeruginosa ranged from 0.25 to 2 μg/ml, which were four times higher than those of ciprofloxacin. From these results, DQ-113 showed the most potent activity against gram-positive pathogens among antibacterial agents tested.