retapamulin retapamulin 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. retapamulinclinical datatrade namesaltabax, altargoahfs/drugs.commonographmedlineplusa607049license data eu ema: by inn us fda: retapamulin routes ofadministrationtopical (ointment)atc coded06ax13 (who) legal statuslegal status uk: pom (prescription only) us: ℞-only pharmacokinetic databioavailabilitylowprotein binding94%metabolismhepatic, cyp3a4-mediatedelimination half-lifeundeterminedexcretionundeterminedidentifiers iupac name (3as,4r,5s,6s,8r,9r,9ar,10r)-6-ethenyl-5-hydroxy-4,6,9,10-tetramethyl-1-oxodecahydro-3a,9-propano-3ah-cyclopentaannulen-8-ylacetate cas number224452-66-8 ypubchem cid6918462drugbankdb01256 ychemspider25064484 nunii4mg6o8991rkeggd05720 ychemblchembl566434 ncomptox dashboard (epa)dtxsid00870265 echa infocard100.167.142 chemical and physical dataformulac30h47no4smolar mass517.77 g·mol−13d model (jsmol)interactive image smiles c1cc23ccc(=o)21((c((3c)o)(c)c=c)oc(=o)cs4c5cc(c4)n5c)c inchi inchi=1s/c30h47no4s/c1-7-28(4)16-24(35-25(33)17-36-22-14-20-8-9-21(15-22)31(20)6)29(5)18(2)10-12-30(19(3)27(28)34)13-11-23(32)26(29)30/h7,18-22,24,26-27,34h,1,8-17h2,2-6h3/t18-,19+,20-,21+,22-,24-,26+,27+,28-,29+,30+/m1/s1 nkey:stzytfjpggdrjd-nhuwbddwsa-n n ny (what is this?) (verify) 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. indications retapamulin is indicated for the topical treatment of impetigo due to staphylococcus aureus (methicillin-susceptible only) or streptococcus pyogenes. pharmacology mechanism of action retapamulin is an antibacterial agent, specifically a protein synthesis inhibitor. the medication selectively inhibits bacterial protein synthesis by interacting at a site on the 50s subunit of the bacterial ribosome through an interaction that differs from other antibiotics. pharmacokinetics systemic exposure following topical application through intact skin is low. contraindications none yet reported. adverse reactions the most common reported adverse reaction was irritation at the application site.