A Review of Novel Combinations of Colistin and Lipopeptide or Glycopeptide Antibiotics for the Treatment of Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

As antibiotic resistance continues to increase among Gram-negative organisms such as Acinetobacter baumannii there is a growing need for novel therapies to overcome these resistance mechanisms. Antibiotics active against multidrug-resistant A. baumannii (MDRAB) are few, and agents in development are primarily active against other multidrug-resistant Gram-negative organisms. The combinations of colistin and antimicrobials such as glycopeptides and lipopeptides are unique potential treatment modalities against MDRAB. For both lipopeptides and glycopeptides in vitro data have demonstrated significant synergy, resulting in rapid bactericidal activity in time-kill curves. Several invertebrate in vivo models have also demonstrated increased survival compared to colistin alone. Currently, very little clinical data have focused on using these combinations for infections caused exclusively by multidrug-resistant Gram-negatives. The combination of vancomycin and colistin has been studied with conflicting results regarding both improved outcomes and risk of nephrotoxicity. Although in vitro and in vivo models have proved promising, further investigation is required to provide clinical data necessary to support the use of these combinations. The objective of this review is to summarize literature currently available for the novel combination of lipopeptides or glycopeptides with colistin for the treatment of A. baumannii, in particular MDRAB.