Cefcapene Pivoxil (CAS 105889-45-0)

Cefcapene pivoxil is a third-generation cephalosporin antibiotic prodrug, engineered with a pivoxil ester group to enhance its oral bioavailability. This ester group undergoes enzymatic cleavage in the gastrointestinal tract to release active cefcapene, which functions by disrupting bacterial cell wall synthesis. Specifically, cefcapene targets and inhibits penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs), crucial components that bacteria require to maintain the integrity and strength of their cell walls. This inhibition leads to the weakening and eventual rupture of the bacterial cell wall, resulting in bacterial death. In research settings, cefcapene pivoxil is primarily used to investigate the pharmacokinetics of prodrug conversion and the dynamics of bacterial resistance mechanisms against cephalosporins. Such studies are vital for understanding how structural modifications like the pivoxil ester influence drug absorption and metabolism, and for exploring how bacteria evolve resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics. This research contributes significantly to advancing our knowledge of antibiotic resistance and to the development of new strategies and compounds in the fight against resistant bacterial strains, focusing purely on non-clinical, biochemical, and microbiological insights.