Fosfomycin 500mg capsules

Fosfomycin was discovered in 1969 by scientists at the Spanish Penicillin and Antibiotics Company and is produced by Streptomyces fradiae.[A229338][A230348] It may also be produced synthetically and is commercially available as the disodium salt for intravenous administration and as the calcium or trometamol salt for oral administration.[A230348] In terms of chemical structure, fosfomycin is a phosphoenolpyruvate analog and contains a phosphonic group and an epoxide ring.[A230348]

Due to its ease of administration as a single 3-gram oral dose and desirable safety profile, fosfomycin has largely become a first-line therapeutic option for the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) in females.[A230378] Despite being FDA approved only for urinary tract infections, fosfomycin actually has a broad spectrum of activity and is active against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.[A230348] As such there is great interest in exploring the usefulness of fosfomycin for indications beyond the treatment of UTIs.[A230353][A230358]