Mecillinam is a beta-lactam antibiotic belonging to the amidinopenicillin class. It has a distinctive activity against Gram-negative bacteria, particularly organisms responsible for urinary tract infections.
Mecillinam is commonly administered in its prodrug form, pivmecillinam, which is converted to the active antibiotic mecillinam after administration.
Mecillinam is a specialized antibacterial pharmaceutical API used in the development and manufacture of antibiotic formulations, particularly products intended for urinary tract infections.
Important quality attributes include identity, assay, related substances, water content, residual solvents, optical purity, elemental impurities and stability characteristics.
CAS Number: 32887-01-7
Molecular Formula: C15H23N3O3S
Molecular Weight: 325.43 g/mol
Chemical Name: Mecillinam
Synonyms: Amidinocillin, Amdinocillin
Drug Class: Beta-Lactam Antibiotic
Therapeutic Class: Antibacterial
Therapeutic Area: Infectious Diseases / Urology
Molecule Type: Semi-Synthetic Small Molecule
Mecillinam is a beta-lactam antibiotic that primarily targets penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP2) in susceptible Gram-negative bacteria.
It interferes with bacterial cell-wall synthesis, resulting in disruption of bacterial cell-wall integrity and ultimately bacterial cell death.
Its activity includes:
Mecillinam API is used in pharmaceutical development for:
Mecillinam has particular activity against several Enterobacterales, including organisms commonly associated with urinary tract infections.
The active drug is particularly relevant to treatment strategies involving Escherichia coli and other susceptible Gram-negative pathogens.
Mecillinam has limited oral bioavailability when administered directly. Therefore, pivmecillinam, an orally active prodrug, is commonly used to deliver mecillinam systemically.
After absorption, pivmecillinam is hydrolyzed to release active mecillinam.
Mecillinam is associated with:
Mecillinam is generally handled as a solid pharmaceutical substance. Its physical appearance, crystalline characteristics, particle size and solid-state properties should be controlled according to the applicable API specification.
A controlled Mecillinam API manufacturing process may involve:
Typical Mecillinam API testing may include:
Store Mecillinam API in a tightly closed container under controlled pharmaceutical storage conditions, protected from moisture, excessive heat and direct light. Because beta-lactam compounds can be sensitive to environmental conditions, validated storage conditions should be followed.
Mecillinam is relevant to research involving:
Mecillinam is an amidinopenicillin beta-lactam antibiotic with CAS Number 32887-01-7, molecular formula C15H23N3O3S, and molecular weight 325.43 g/mol. It primarily acts against susceptible Gram-negative bacteria by inhibiting bacterial cell-wall synthesis through PBP2.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White to off-white crystalline powder |
| Identification | IR & HPLC compliant |
| Assay (HPLC) | 98.0% – 102.0% |
| Loss on Drying | NMT 2.0% |
| Residue on Ignition | NMT 0.5% |
| Heavy Metals | NMT 10 ppm |
| pH (1% Solution) | 2.0 – 4.0 |
| Individual Impurity | NMT 0.5% |
| Total Impurities | NMT 2.0% |
| Water Content | NMT 2.0% |