New antibiotics against gram-positives: present and future indications

• Gram-positive cocci are frequent cause of morbidity and mortality.
• This revision is focused on lipoglycopeptides, ceftobiprole, ceftaroline and tedizolid.
• The longer half-live of lipoglycopeptides favours the outpatient parenteral antibiotic treatment.
• Ceftaroline and ceftobiprole are new options for treating MRSA with a β-lactam.
• Tedizolid allows oral and short courses in the treatment of soft tissue infections.

Gram-positive cocci are the most frequent aetiology of community and nosocomially bacterial acquired infections. The prevalence of multidrug-resistant gram-positive bacteria is increasing and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. New antibiotics will be available in the European market during the next months. This revision is focused on lipoglycopeptides, new cephalosporins active against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and the new oxazolidinone, tedizolid. The purpose of this review is to describe their in vitro activity, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics, and experience from clinical trials.