Meropenem

Emery Haley, PhD, Scientific Writing Specialist

Meropenem

Find the Latest FDA-Approved Labelling Information Here: Drugs@FDA Online Database 

Administrative Routes

Parenteral [intravenous infusion (IV)]

Other Names

Merrem

Bacteriostatic or Bactericidal

Bactericidal [1]

Antibiotic Class

Carbapenem

Mechanisms of Action

Meropenem, a beta-lactam antibiotic, binds to penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) on bacterial cell walls. PBPs are essential for the formation of the peptidoglycan, which gives the bacterial wall strength and integrity. Binding of meropenem to PBPs leads to failure of peptidoglycan cell wall synthesis, causing bacterial cell death.

WHO AWaRe Classification

Watch [2]

Empiric Use Recommendations

Yes (preferred for complicated UTI with sepsis; alternative for complicated UTI without sepsis) [Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA)] [3]

Indication(s) Relevant to UTI

Not indicated for UTIs as per Prescribing Information.   

Indicated for complicated skin and skin structure infections or complicated intraabdominal infections due to susceptible strains of the following organisms included in the Guidance® UTI test: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Viridans group Streptococci, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, and Klebsiella pneumoniae.   

Since these species can also cause UTIs, and because of increasing resistance to antibiotics commonly used to treat UTIs, healthcare providers may exercise their clinical discretion to use meropenem for treatment of above organisms when they are uropathogens. 

Checkmarks

CLSI and/or FDA documents support the efficacy of this antibiotic against the following organisms from the Guidance® UTI test: Acinetobacter baumannii, Aerococcus urinae, Citrobacter freundii, Citrobacter koseri, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter Group organisms, Klebsiella oxytoca, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Morganella morganii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Providencia stuartii, Streptococcus agalactiae, Serratia marcescens, and Viridans Group Streptococci.