cefiderocol sulfate tosylate at a glance
Medicine class
Siderophore cephalosporin antibiotic
Licensed role
Selected aerobic Gram-negative infections in adults with limited treatment options
Administration
Prepared and given by intravenous infusion by healthcare professionals
Antibiotic stewardship
A UK Reserve antibiotic requiring specialist infectious-diseases input
What is cefiderocol sulfate tosylate used for?
It is licensed for adults whose treatment options are limited.
Treatment of infections caused by aerobic Gram-negative organisms.
Additional antibiotics are needed if Gram-positive or anaerobic organisms are known or suspected to contribute, because cefiderocol has little or no activity against them.
How does cefiderocol sulfate tosylate work?
Cefiderocol binds iron outside Gram-negative bacteria and uses their iron-uptake systems to cross the outer membrane. It then binds penicillin-binding proteins and blocks bacterial cell-wall construction, causing bacterial death.
How to take cefiderocol sulfate tosylate
It is not taken by mouth. A healthcare professional reconstitutes and dilutes the powder before giving it through a vein.
Food does not affect administration because it is given intravenously.
Tell staff promptly about pain, redness or swelling around the infusion site.
Make sure the clinical team knows about kidney disease, dialysis, seizures, serious antibiotic allergies and any sodium restriction.
The reconstituted vial solution must be diluted before infusion and must not be injected directly.
cefiderocol sulfate tosylate side effects
Common or expected effects
- Diarrhoea, nausea or vomiting
- Cough
- Rash
- Thrush or another Candida infection
- Pain, redness or inflammation at the infusion site
- Changes in liver enzymes or blood creatinine
Get urgent medical advice
- Severe allergic reaction, including breathing difficulty, facial or throat swelling, or a severe skin reaction
- Persistent, worsening, bloody or mucus-containing diarrhoea, which may indicate Clostridioides difficile colitis
- Seizure, jerking movements or focal tremor
cefiderocol sulfate tosylate in pregnancy
Human pregnancy information is very limited. UK product information advises avoiding cefiderocol during pregnancy as a precaution; a specialist should weigh this uncertainty against the need to treat a serious infection.
cefiderocol sulfate tosylate while breastfeeding
It is not known whether cefiderocol or its metabolites enter human milk. The benefits of treatment and breastfeeding should be assessed individually with the prescriber or a specialist medicines-in-breastfeeding service.
cefiderocol sulfate tosylate interactions
Clinically important metabolic interactions are not expected, but administration compatibility and diarrhoea management require attention.
CYP enzyme or transporter substrates, inhibitors and inducers
Available studies indicate that clinically significant pharmacokinetic interactions are not anticipated.
Midazolam, furosemide, metformin and rosuvastatin
Clinical interaction studies found no changes considered clinically meaningful.
Other intravenous medicines
Do not mix them with cefiderocol in the same syringe or infusion solution; flush shared intravenous lines appropriately.
Common questions about cefiderocol sulfate tosylate
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
What is cefiderocol sulfate tosylate used for?
It is used in adults for infections caused by aerobic Gram-negative bacteria when available treatment options are limited.
Is cefiderocol sulfate tosylate the same as cefiderocol?
Cefiderocol sulfate tosylate is the salt form in the vial and provides the active antibiotic cefiderocol.
Why is it called a siderophore antibiotic?
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.