Imipenem-cilastatin · Primaxin, Primaxin Iv

What is Imipenem-cilastatin?

Imipenem-cilastatin is a combination of imipenem, a penem antibacterial that inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis, and cilastatin, a renal dehydropeptidase inhibitor that prevents imipenem degradation.

Summary written with AI from the sources listed at the end of this page.

At a glance

Also known as

Primaxin, Primaxin Iv, Recarbrio

Drug type

Small molecule

Targets

bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan, renal dehydropeptidase I

Mechanism

Inhibitor of bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan and renal dehydropeptidase I

Therapy area

Infectious disease

Developer

Merck

In trials of

SPRO

FDA status

Approved as Primaxin, Primaxin Iv, Recarbrio (November 26, 1985), NDA050587 · FDA label

✅ FDA-approved uses

• Hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia (Recarbrio)
• Complicated urinary tract infections, including pyelonephritis (Recarbrio)
• Complicated intra-abdominal infections (Recarbrio)
• Lower respiratory tract infections (Primaxin)
• Urinary tract infections (Primaxin)
• Intra-abdominal infections (Primaxin)
• Gynecologic infections (Primaxin)
• Bacterial septicemia (Primaxin)

From the indications section of the FDA label (version of Dec 9, 2025). Read the full label for the exact wording, limitations and safety information.

🧪 Clinical trials

Trials of the companies BioRadar tracks, from ClinicalTrials.gov, most advanced phase first.

Conditions studied

Acute PyelonephritisUrinary Tract Infection

Sources

• FDA label (DailyMed)
• FDA label Recarbrio (2025-12-09), indications
• FDA label Primaxin Iv (2024-07-05), indications
• FDA label Primaxin (2019-12-05), indications
• ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06059846

Updated Oct 3, 2026.