Netilmicin and gentamicin susceptibilities of 258 gram-negative organisms and 25 strains of Staphylococcus aureus were nearly identical. The pharmacokinetic properties of netilrnicin were evaluated in 101 newborn infants and related to birth weight, gestational age, chronological age, and route of administration. Mean peak serum concentrations of 5.6 to 6.9 and 7.8 to 8.4 ,ug/ml were observed 30 min after 3-and 4-mg/kg doses, respectively, were given intramuscularly. The peak concentrations were directly related to gestational age. The average serum half-life values varied from 3.4 to 4.7 h and in general were inversely related to birth weight, gestational age, and postnatal age. The pharmacokinetics of netilmicin in 10 infants were similar after intramuscular and intravenous administration. A comparative study of netilmicin and gentamicin in seven neonates revealed greater variability in serum concentrations of gentamicin and a shorter half-life for netilmicin. There was evidence of accumulation of netilmicin in 12 low-birth weight, premature infants who received 4-mg/kg doses for an average of 6.4 days. Serum and urine levels of netilmicin were measured up to 11 days after discontinuation of the drug. These data are well characterized by a two-compartment model. Additional studies of efficacy and long-term toxicity of netilmicin in neonates are necessary.Netilmicin is a new semisynthetic aminoglycoside that is a 1-N-ethyl sisomicin derivative produced by Micromonospora inyoensis. Its antimicrobial spectrum is similar to that of gentamicin with an added advantage that an increasing number of Enterobacteriaceae possess adenylating enzymes mediating resistance to gentamicin, but not to netilmicin (4,10,16,21,28). Animal studies indicate that substantially less ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity result from repeated doses of netilmicin than of gentamicin (9,12,16). In an experimental rabbit model ofEscherichia coli meningitis, netilmicin has also been shown to have greater bactericidal activity in cerebrospinal fluid' than does gentamicin (24). These observations suggest that netilmicin may be potentially useful for therapy of neonatal bacterial infections.In this study we have evaluated the pharmacokinetics of netilnicin in 101 neonates and related these properties to birth weight, gestational age, chronological age, and route of administration. We have also measured netilmicin in serum and/or urine for as long as 12 days after discontinuation of therapy and have fit these data to a two-compartment model as has been described for aminoglycosides in older children and adults (3,17,20,25,30).
MATERIALS AND METHODSSusceptibility studies. The susceptibilities to gentamicin and netilmicin of 258 gram-negative organisms and 25 Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from blood, cerebrospinal fluid, or urine of sick neonates and from rectal culture of normal newborns were determined by a modified agar plate dilution method (1) with a multiple inoculating apparatus (27). Serial twofold dilutions of laboratory standards of net...