Doripenem Use in Pediatrics a€“ Learning from Pharmacokinetic Data of Other Carbapenems

Doripenem Use in Pediatrics a€“ Learning from Pharmacokinetic Data of Other Carbapenems

In 2005, doripenem, the newest carbapenem on the market, was developed by a pharmaceutical company in Japan, and it was recently approved by the United States (US) Federal Drug Administration (FDA) to be used in the adult population. Doripenem is a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent that can be used in many different infections ranging from pneumonia to abdominal infections. Even though doripenem has shown to be safe and efficacious in adults, it lacks pharmacokinetic and safety information in the pediatric population. However, by looking at the pediatric pharmacokinetic data of other carbapenems and a recent multicenter study of doripenem in patients between the age of 3 months and 18 years of age, clinicians can gain a better understanding of how to dose this antimicrobial agent in infants, children, and adolescents.