In vitro antimicrobial activity of a new antibiotic, MDL 62,879 (GE2270 A).

MDL 62,879 (GE2270 A) is a new peptide antibiotic that inhibits protein synthesis through an interaction with elongation factor Tu. MDL 62,879 was very active against gram-positive clinical isolates, particularly staphylococci and enterococci, for which MICs for 90% of isolates were < or = 0.13 micrograms/ml. It was equally active against isolates resistant to beta-lactams, erythromycin, gentamicin, and glycopeptides. It also had activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. MDL 62,879 had moderate bactericidal activity against staphylococci.