Comparative in vitro antimicrobial activities of the newly synthesized quinolone HSR-903, sitafloxacin (DU-6859a), gatifloxacin (AM-1155), and levofloxacin against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium complex.

We compared the in vitro antimycobacterial activity of a new fluoroquinolone, HSR-903, with strong activity against gram-positive cocci with those of levofloxacin (LVFX), sitafloxacin (STFX), and gatifloxacin (GFLX). The MICs of the quinolones for Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium complex were in the order STFX approximately GFLX < LVFX <== HSR-903 and STFX <== GFLX <== HSR-903 <== LVFX, respectively. HSR-903 effectively eliminated intramacrophagial M. tuberculosis, as did LVFX, and exhibited bacteriostatic effects against M. tuberculosis replicating in type II alveolar cells.