At the close of the decade, a range of requirements for a new
antibacterial still remained. These included activity against
penicillinase‐producing gram‐positive and gram‐negative organisms
(including anaerobes), a broad spectrum of activity and good
tolerability, including in children, availability as both an oral and
injectable formulation, and activity in a range of indications
including urinary tract infections (UTIs), respiratory tract infections
(RTIs), skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs), intra‐abdominal
infections and septicaemia. This set the scene for the development of
an antibacterial agent that would fulfil these requirements