amikacin vs lefamulin
Side-by-side comparison of amikacin and lefamulin Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Amikacin is an antibiotic medicine. It fights serious infections caused by certain types of bacteria.
Xenleta is an antibiotic medicine. It is used to treat pneumonia caused by bacteria in adults.
Amikacin treats serious infections caused by bacteria. This includes infections in the blood, lungs, bones, joints, brain, skin, and abdomen. It can also treat burns, post-surgery infections, and complicated urinary tract infections.
Xenleta treats community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP) in adults. This type of pneumonia is caused by germs like Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae, Legionella pneumophila, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Chlamydophila pneumoniae. This medicine should only be used to treat infections that are proven or very likely to be caused by bacteria.
Amikacin belongs to a class of drugs called aminoglycosides. It works by stopping the growth of bacteria. This helps your body fight off the infection.
Xenleta is a pleuromutilin antibiotic. It works by stopping bacteria from growing. This helps your body fight off the infection.
No common side effects listed.
- • Diarrhea
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Liver enzyme elevation
- • Reactions where the injection was given
- Off Label Use 1,908
- Drug Ineffective 1,673
- Cough 1,620
- Dyspnoea 1,556
- Hospitalisation 1,360
No adverse event reports.
Amikacin can potentially cause hearing loss and kidney damage. Tell your doctor if you have kidney problems or are taking other medicines that can affect your hearing or kidneys. Your doctor should closely monitor you for hearing and kidney problems during treatment. This drug can also cause muscle weakness or breathing problems, especially if you are also taking anesthesia or certain muscle relaxants.
Xenleta can cause changes in your heart rhythm (QT prolongation). This can be dangerous if you have heart problems or take other medicines that affect your heart. Xenleta can also harm an unborn baby, so women who can get pregnant should use birth control while taking it and for 2 days after the last dose. Diarrhea can occur with this medicine; tell your doctor if it becomes severe.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Amikacin may harm your unborn baby. It is not known if amikacin passes into breast milk.
Xenleta may harm your unborn baby. Use effective birth control while taking Xenleta and for 2 days after your last dose if you are a woman who can get pregnant. Do not breastfeed while taking Xenleta and for 2 days after the last dose. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby during this time.
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How to Read This amikacin vs lefamulin Comparison
amikacin is classified in the Aminoglycoside Antibiotic drug class, while lefamulin sits within the Pleuromutilin Antibiotic class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, amikacin has 8,117 submissions while lefamulin has 0. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between amikacin and lefamulin — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.