Temocillin Versus a Carbapenem as Initial Intravenous Treatment for ESBL Related Urinary Tract Infections

TEMO-CARB is a phase 3, randomized, controlled, multicentre, open-label pragmatic clinical trial to test the non-inferiority of temocillin versus carbapenem as initial intravenous treatment of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) due to extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing enterobacteriaceae.

Urinary tract infections are among the most common bacterial infections that are treated in the community by an empirical antibiotic treatment regimen. Enterobacteriaceae are the most common bacteria involved in urinary tract infection. Since 2006, extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing enterobacteriaceae have spread in France, as elsewhere. Finding therapeutic alternatives to carbapenems in infections caused by ESBL producing enterobacteriaceae is imperative. Although temocillin, 6-α-methoxy derivative of ticarcillin has been suggested as a potential alternative to carbapenem therapy for ESBL related infections, it was not investigated in accordance with current standard. The hypothesis to test in this study is that temocillin is not inferior to a carbapenem as initial intravenous treatment of urinary tract infections caused by ESBL producing enterobacteriaceae.