A Phase III, randomized, controlled, non-inferiority trial of ceftaroline fosamil 600 mg every 8 h versus vancomycin plus aztreonam in patients with complicated skin and soft tissue infection with systemic inflammatory response or underlying comorbidities

OBJECTIVES: Increasing the ceftaroline fosamil dose beyond 600 mg every 12 h may provide additional benefit for patients with complicated skin and soft tissue infections (cSSTIs) with severe inflammation and/or reduced pathogen susceptibility. A Phase III multicentre, randomized trial evaluated the safety and efficacy of ceftaroline fosamil 600 mg every 8 h in this setting. METHODS: Adult patients with cSSTI and systemic inflammation or comorbidities were randomized 2:1 to intravenous ceftaroline fosamil (600 mg every 8 h) or vancomycin (15 mg/kg every 12 h) plus aztreonam (1 g every 8 h) for 5–14 days. Clinical cure was assessed at the test of cure (TOC) visit (8–15 days after the final dose) in the modified ITT (MITT) and clinically evaluable (CE) populations. Non-inferiority was defined as a lower limit of the 95% CI around the treatment difference greater than –10%. An MRSA-focused expansion period was initiated after completion of the main study. Clinicaltrials.gov registration numbers NCT01499277 and NCT02202135. RESULTS: Clinical cure rates at TOC demonstrated non-inferiority of ceftaroline fosamil 600 mg every 8 h versus vancomycin plus aztreonam in the MITT and CE populations: 396/506 (78.3%) versus 202/255 (79.2%) patients (difference −1.0%, 95% CI −6.9, 5.4) and 342/395 (86.6%) versus 180/211 (85.3%) patients (difference 1.3%, 95% CI −4.3, 7.5), respectively. In the expansion period, 3/4 (75%) patients treated with ceftaroline fosamil were cured at TOC. The frequency of adverse events was similar between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Ceftaroline fosamil 600 mg every 8 h was effective for cSSTI patients with evidence of systemic inflammation and/or comorbidities. No new safety signals were identified.