Mina Fam, MD, highlights significance of tebipenem pivoxil approval for cUTI

The recent FDA approval of oral tebipenem pivoxil (Utebzi) for complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs)¹ represents a significant advance that could expand outpatient treatment options for appropriately selected patients, according to Mina M. Fam, MD. Fam is a urologist at Hackensack Meridian Health in New Jersey.

Fam explained that tebipenem is a carbapenem antibiotic, a class that historically has been available only through intravenous administration. As a result, patients with cUTIs often required hospitalization or outpatient infusion therapy to receive these agents. The availability of an oral carbapenem provides a new option that may allow more patients to be managed in the outpatient setting, potentially reducing the need for hospital stays and IV infusions while improving convenience.

As clinicians begin incorporating tebipenem into practice, Fam emphasized that antimicrobial therapy should not replace appropriate urologic management and source control. Patients with urinary retention still require catheterization, and those with obstructing stones require prompt drainage. He stressed that optimal outcomes depend on addressing these underlying issues in conjunction with antibiotic treatment.

Fam also highlighted the importance of antimicrobial stewardship. He noted that tebipenem should be used thoughtfully to minimize the risk of antimicrobial resistance and preserve its long-term utility. Collaboration between urologists and infectious disease specialists, he added, will be important to ensure the agent is used appropriately while providing patients with effective care that may reduce hospitalizations and improve convenience.

REFERENCE

1. FDA approves first oral carbapenem therapy for complicated urinary tract infections. News release. US Food & Drug Administration. June 17, 2026. Accessed June 23, 2026. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/news-events-human-drugs/fda-approves-first-oral-carbapenem-therapy-complicated-urinary-tract-infections