Ertapenem 1g powder for solution for infusion vials
Requires a prescription from a doctor or prescriber
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Yellow Card reports
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Suspected adverse reactions reported for Ertapenem
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Data from the MHRA Yellow Card scheme. A reported reaction does not necessarily mean the medicine caused it. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
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Suspected adverse reactions reported for Ertapenem
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9 branded products available
MHRA licensed products
View all licensed products for Ertapenem on the MHRA register
Invanz 1g powder for solution for infusion vials
Ertapenem 1g powder for concentrate for solution for infusion vials
Ertapenem 1g powder for concentrate for solution for infusion vials
Ertapenem 1g powder for concentrate for solution for infusion vials
Ertapenem 1g powder for concentrate for solution for infusion vials
Ertapenem 1g powder for concentrate for solution for infusion vials
Ertapenem 1g powder for concentrate for solution for infusion vials
Ertapenem 1g powder for concentrate for solution for infusion vials
This is the NHS Drug Tariff indicative price used for reimbursement purposes. It may not reflect the price paid by patients or pharmacies.
View full Drug TariffSource: NHS Drug Tariff via NHSBSA. Derived from dm+d VMPP (Virtual Medicinal Product Pack) pricing data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
WHO defined daily dose (DDD)
1 gram
Not a recommended dose. The DDD is the assumed average maintenance dose per day for a drug used for its main indication in adults. It is a statistical measure used for research and comparison purposes only.
Source: WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology, distributed via the NHS dm+d supplementary BNF/ATC mapping files (NHSBSA). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Therapeutically similar medicines
Similarity is based on WHO Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification and on a factual NHS dm+d therapeutic-grouping code prefix. Source data: NHS dm+d via TRUD (OGL v3.0), WHO ATC/DDD Index.
NHS prescribing volume and spending trends
Guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
NICE clinical guidance(3)
Antimicrobial prescribing: eravacycline for complicated intra-abdominal infections in adults (ES40)
Pyelonephritis (acute): antimicrobial prescribing (NG111)
Prostatitis (acute): antimicrobial prescribing (NG110)
Source: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
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Supply & safety information
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Pharmacy links redirect to the retailer's own search and do not represent real-time stock levels. Shortage and safety information sourced from MHRA drug safety updates (gov.uk, Crown Copyright under OGL v3.0).
Codes for healthcare professionals and prescribing systems
These codes are used by healthcare IT systems and prescribers to identify this medicine.
NHS UK identifiers
Browse tools
SNOMED CT and dm+d codes from NHS TRUD (Technology Reference data Update Distribution), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. BNF code shown is the factual mapping value distributed by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) in the dm+d supplementary file under OGL v3.0; it is not affiliated with, nor licensed from, the publishers of the British National Formulary. ATC codes from the WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology (whocc.no).
Active and completed clinical studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health (NIH). Data accessed via ClinicalTrials.gov API v2. Trial information is provided for research purposes and does not constitute medical advice.
Academic studies and reviews for this medicine's active substance
Showing the 50 most relevant studies.
Reviews & meta-analyses: 22 · Randomised trials: 8 · 2001–2026
Showing the 50 most relevant studies, sorted by most relevant.
Benjamin A. Lipsky, David G. Armstrong, Diane M. Citron, et al.
The Lancet, 2005
- Piperacillin, Tazobactam Drug Combination
- Ertapenem
- Anti-Bacterial Agents
Po-Yu Huang, Chi-Kuei Hsu, Tingting Liu, et al.
Journal of global antimicrobial resistance, 2023
H. Mitaka, Shinya Hasegawa, Kristine F Lan, et al.
Open Forum Infectious Diseases, 2024
Dos Santos CF, Dos Santos VP, Ferreira LM, et al.
2026
Evidence on antibiotic therapy for diabetic foot infections can help clinical management. The objective of this study was to identify the evidence on systemic antibiotics for treatment of diabetes mellitus-related foot infections. An integrative literature review was conducted of randomized clinical trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. The keywords "Diabetic foot" AND "Antibiotics" were used to search PubMed and 15 articles were selected (nine randomized clinical trials, four systematic reviews, and two meta-analyses). Seven randomized clinical trials revealed clinical results that were comparable for beta lactam antibiotics with beta-lactamase inhibitors, carbapenems, and fluoroquinolones. Two randomized clinical trials found significant differences comparing ertapenem and tigecycline and in analyses of subsets with severe infections between piperacillin-tazobactam and ertapenem. The literature revealed comparable clinical results for different systemic antibiotics used to treat foot infections related to diabetes, except for the difference between ertapenem and tigecycline, which did not meet the parameters for non-inferiority, highlighting the need for higher-quality evidence.
Abstract licence: CC BY
Martinez Ugarte S, Fajemisin MO, Varman B, et al.
2026
- Surgical Wound Infection
- Anti-Bacterial Agents
- Antibiotic Prophylaxis
Yu Bin Seo, Jacob Lee, Young Keun Kim, et al.
BMC Infectious Diseases, 2017
- Cefepime
- Piperacillin, Tazobactam Drug Combination
- Ertapenem
Ahmadi MH, Fagheei Aghmiyuni Z, Bakhti S
2025
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- Pseudomonas Infections
- Carbapenems
β-Lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations and carbapenems are the first-line treatments for multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) infections. However, carbapenem resistance is increasing globally at an alarming rate, which is especially concerning given the pivotal role of these agents. This study comprehensively evaluated the global distribution of carbapenem resistance in clinical P. aeruginosa isolates. The keywords including 'Pseudomonas', P. aeruginosa', 'P. aeruginosa', 'resistance', 'susceptibility', 'carbapenem antibiotics', 'carbapenems', 'imipenem', 'meropenem', 'ertapenem', 'doripenem', as well as 'prevalence' and 'incidence' were searched in electronic databases as the appropriate keywords. After screening, 160 studies were excluded, with 87 eligible studies from diverse geographic regions retained for final analysis. A comprehensive meta-analysis was then conducted on the data collected. The mean resistance rates (95% CI) were 33.3% (imipenem), 23.3% (meropenem), 60.9% (ertapenem), and 36.7% (doripenem). The time trend analysis showed that the resistance to meropenem has increased from the year 1997 to 2023. Meta-analysis showed substantial heterogeneity (I2 = 92%, p P. aeruginosa isolates. The increasing prevalence of carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa is a major global health threat requiring urgent action through new antimicrobials and improved antibiotic stewardship to protect these last-line drugs.
Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-ND
Joseph S. Solomkin, David C. Evans, Algirdas Šlepavičius, et al.
JAMA Surgery, 2016
- Gram-Negative Bacteria
- Ertapenem
- Anti-Bacterial Agents
Henry J.C. de Vries, Myrthe de Laat, Vita W. Jongen, et al.
The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2022
- Fosfomycin
- Gonorrhea
- Ertapenem
Ruiqiu Zhao, X. Long, Jiangxia Wang, et al.
Frontiers in Pediatrics, 2022
Sources: aggregated from Europe PMC (EMBL-EBI), OpenAlex, Crossref, PubMed and other open scholarly databases. Retracted articles are excluded. Study information is provided for research purposes and does not constitute medical advice.
Pharmacology and chemical data from DrugBank
Key facts
Drug status
Approved
Major interactions
None known
Half-life
2.5 hours
Mechanism
Ertapenem exhibits a bactericidal mode of action.
Food interactions
None known
Human targets
None mapped
Data: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0
Pharmacokinetics at a glance
Absorption
90%
[L14339]
Plasma…
Half-life
2.5 hours
Protein binding
95%
Volume of distribution
0.12 L/kg
Metabolism
[L14339]…
Elimination
80%
[A447]…
Clearance
1.8 L/h
Pharmacokinetic data: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0
- Complicated intra-abdominal infections.
[L14339][L44416]
- Complicated skin and skin structure infections, including diabetic foot infections without osteomyelitis.
[L14339][L44416]
- Community-acquired pneumonia.
[L14339][L44416]
- Complicated urinary tract infections, including pyelonephritis.
[L14339]
- Acute pelvic infections, including postpartum endomyometritis, septic abortion and post-surgical gynecologic infections.
[L14339]
- Acute gynecological infections.
[L44416]
Ertapenem is also used in adults for the prophylaxis of surgical site infection following elective colorectal surgery.
[L14339][L44416]
Known interactions with other medications. Always consult a healthcare professional.
Showing 50 of 782 interactions
[L44436]
Intravenous administration of ertapenem at a dose of 2 g over 30 min or 3 g over 1-2 hours in healthy adults resulted in increased incidence of nausea. In clinical trials in adults, inadvertent administration of three 1 g doses of ertapenem in a 24 hour period resulted in diarrhea and transient dizziness in one patient. As there is no known antidote for ertapenem overdose, the drug should be discontinued with the initiation of general supportive treatment until renal elimination takes place.
Ertapenem can be removed by hemodialysis to some extent: the plasma clearance of the total fraction of ertapenem was increased by 30% in subjects with end-stage renal disease when hemodialysis was performed immediately following administration. However, no information is available on the use of hemodialysis to treat ertapenem overdosage.
[L14339]
It works against Gram-positive and Gram-negative aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. It is stable against hydrolysis by various beta-lactamases, including penicillinases, cephalosporinases, and extended-spectrum beta-lactamases, but not metallo-beta-lactamases.[L14339][L44416]
How the body processes this drug — absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination
[L14339]
Plasma concentrations of ertapenem are similar whether given intramuscularly or intravenously; however, the peak concentrations are lower when given via the intramuscular route. The time to reach the Cmax (Tmax) is slightly longer when given via the intramuscular route.
[A447]
Following daily intramuscular administration of one gram of ertapenem, the Tmax was approximately 2.3 hours.
[L14339]
In healthy young adults who received a single 30-minute intravenous infusion of one gram of ertapenem, the Cmax was 155 µG/mL at 0.5 hours postdose.
[L44416]
[L14339]
The long half-life of ertapenem can be explained by its high protein binding.
[A10372]
[L14339]
Protein binding is saturable at higher doses, at which the unbound fraction of the drug increases disproportionately.
[A255567]
In healthy young adults, the protein binding of ertapenem decreased as drug plasma concentrations increased. At an approximate plasma concentration of <100 micrograms (mcg)/mL, ertapenem was 95% bound, and this percentage dropped to 85% when the plasma concentration increased to 300 mcg/mL.
[L14339]
[L14339]
[L14339]
The major metabolite of ertapenem is the ring-opened derivative formed by dehydropeptidase I-mediated hydrolysis of the beta-lactam ring.
[A255572][L44416]
This metabolite is pharmacologically inactive.
[L14339]
Dehydropeptidase I (DHP-I) is found predominantly in the kidneys.
[A447]
Hepatic metabolism is negligible.
[A255567]
[A447]
In healthy young adults who received one gram of IV radiolabeled ertapenem, approximately 80% of the radioactivity was recovered in urine and 10% of the radioactivity was recovered in feces. The mean percentage of the administered dose excreted in urine was 17.4% during 0-2 hours postdose, 5.4% during 4-6 hours postdose, and 2.4% during 12-24 hours postdose.
[L14339]
Of the 80% radioactivity in urine, about 38% accounted for unchanged ertapenem and 37% accounted for its ring-opened metabolite.
[L14339]
[L14339]
The mean renal clearance of intact ertapenem was 12.8 mL/min compared with a total clearance of 28.4 mL/min.
[A447]
Enzymes involved in drug metabolism — important for understanding drug interactions
Proteins that carry this drug through the body
PMID:19021548
Major calcium and magnesium transporter in plasma, binds approximately 45% of circulating calcium and magnesium in plasma (By similarity).
Potentially has more than two calcium-binding sites and might additionally bind calcium in a non-specific manner (By similarity). The shared binding site between zinc and calcium at residue Asp-273 suggests a crosstalk between zinc and calcium transport in the blood (By similarity). The rank order of affinity is zinc > calcium > magnesium (By similarity).
Binds to the bacterial siderophore enterobactin and inhibits enterobactin-mediated iron uptake of E.coli from ferric transferrin, and may thereby limit the utilization of iron and growth of enteric bacteria such as E.coli .
PMID:6234017
Does not prevent iron uptake by the bacterial siderophore aerobactin PMID:6234017
ATC J01DH03
Chemical identifiers
CAS, UNII, InChI Key and database cross-references
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Chemical identifiers
CAS, UNII, InChI Key and database cross-references
Linked compound data from DrugBank Open Data (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Ertapenem
Additional database identifiers
Drugs Product Database (DPD)
13153
ChemSpider
132758
ZINC
ZINC000003918453
GenBank Gene Database
X02164
GenBank Protein Database
581194
UniProt Accession
PBPA_ECOLI
GenBank Gene Database
X02163
GenBank Protein Database
42468
UniProt Accession
PBPB_ECOLI
GenBank Gene Database
L42023
GenBank Protein Database
1572976
UniProt Accession
MRDA_HAEIN
GenBank Gene Database
X04516
GenBank Protein Database
42314
UniProt Accession
MRDA_ECOLI
GenBank Gene Database
L42023
GenBank Protein Database
1574687
UniProt Accession
FTSI_HAEIN
GenBank Gene Database
K00137
UniProt Accession
FTSI_ECOLI
GenBank Gene Database
X59460
GenBank Protein Database
41216
UniProt Accession
DACB_ECOLI
GenBank Gene Database
X06480
GenBank Protein Database
41218
UniProt Accession
DACC_ECOLI
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:3002
GenAtlas
DPEP1
GeneCards
DPEP1
GenBank Gene Database
D13137
GenBank Protein Database
219600
UniProt Accession
DPEP1_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:399
GenAtlas
ALB
GeneCards
ALB
GenBank Gene Database
V00494
GenBank Protein Database
28590
UniProt Accession
ALBU_HUMAN
DrugBank citations
If you use DrugBank data in your research, please cite the following publications:
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Structured knowledge from the free knowledge base
ATC classifications (Wikidata)
Linked open data from Wikidata (Q553220), a free and open knowledge base operated by the Wikimedia Foundation. Data is available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication. WHO INN from the World Health Organization.