Panipenerd/betamipron was launched in Japan for the treatment of
respiratory infections. The active ingredient in the mixture, panipenem, is a
semisynthetic carbapenem that has potent antibacterial activity against a wide
range of clinically important species of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative
organisms including Staph. aureus, E. faecalis and P. aeruginose., being more
effective than imipenem. Panipenem appears to be more efficacious in who than the
estimated effect from MIC in vitro, particularly in experimental infections. Clinical
studies indicated that panipenem is efficacious both in patients with severe
infections complicating hematological disorders and in children where other
antibiotics were ineffective. Betamipron, formulated with panipenem in a 1:l fixed
ratio, is an organic anion transport inhibitor to block the incorporation of panipenem
into renal tubules, thus preventing renal dysfunction.
