What is "retapamulin"

n. A topical antibiotic, the first pleuromutilin to be approved for human use.

Retapamulin is a topical antibiotic developed by GlaxoSmithKline. It is the first drug in the new class of pleuromutilin antibiotics to be approved for human use. It is marketed as an ointment under the brand names Altabax and Altargo.

Retapamulin was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration in April 2007 for the treatment of bacterial skin infections such as impetigo. In May 2007, retapamulin received approval in the EU from the European Medicines Agency for the same indication.

Clinical trials have demonstrated its efficacy against certain Gram-positive bacteria including MRSA.