Focus on fosfomycin trometamol

Abstract

Fosfomycin, a phosphonic acid derivative and a naturally-occurring antibiotic, was discovered in 1969 when it was successfully cultured from Streptomyces spp.^1,2 Fosfomycin is in an antimicrobial class of its own and is structurally unrelated to any other agent currently approved for clinical use.³

Fosfomycin was initially developed as a calcium salt for oral use and a sodium salt for intravenous use.⁴ The tromethamine salt (also known as trometamol) is water soluble and provides markedly improved oral bioavailability compared to the calcium salt.⁴