Clinical Medicine Reviews in Therapeutics

Linezolid (trade names Zyvox™ , Zyvoxid™ and Zyvoxam™) is a synthetic antimicrobial agent of the family of oxazolidinones, which has been approved for the treatment of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium infections, lower respiratory tract infections, skin and skin-structure infections and diabetic foot infections caused by susceptible bacteria. Its antimicrobial spectrum, which includes Gram-positive cocci and bacteria resistant to other antimicrobials, its favorable pharmacokinetic properties and its safety profile make it an important addition to our therapeutic armamentarium. In this review, we summarize the literature describing linezolid’s in vitro characteristics, the clinical experience regarding its approved and off-label clinical uses and its safety and tolerability.