amikacin vs meropenem/vaborbactam
Side-by-side comparison of amikacin and meropenem/vaborbactam Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Amikin
Vabomere
Amikacin is an antibiotic medicine. It fights serious infections caused by certain types of bacteria.
Vabomere is a drug that combines two medicines to fight certain infections. It contains meropenem, an antibacterial, and vaborbactam, which helps meropenem work better.
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.
Vabomere treats complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs) in adults. This includes kidney infections, also called pyelonephritis. It works against specific bacteria like Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterobacter cloacae.
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.
Meropenem kills bacteria by stopping them from building cell walls. Vaborbactam blocks enzymes that bacteria use to break down meropenem. This helps meropenem work more effectively against the infection.
No common side effects listed.
- • Headache
- • Irritation, swelling, or pain at the IV site
- • Diarrhea
- Off Label Use 1,908
- Drug Ineffective 1,673
- Cough 1,620
- Dyspnoea 1,556
- Hospitalisation 1,360
- Drug Ineffective 4,220
- Off Label Use 3,119
- Pyrexia 2,090
- Pneumonia 1,435
- Sepsis 1,364
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.
You should not take this medicine if you are allergic to any of its ingredients or to similar drugs. Vabomere may cause seizures, especially if you have kidney problems or a history of seizures. It can also cause severe muscle damage called rhabdomyolysis. Diarrhea can occur, and it may be a sign of a serious infection in your colon.
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.
Vabomere may harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Vabomere passes into breast milk, so discuss breastfeeding with your doctor.
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How to Read This amikacin vs meropenem/vaborbactam Comparison
amikacin is classified in the Aminoglycoside Antibiotic drug class, while meropenem/vaborbactam sits within the Carbapenem / Beta-Lactamase Inhibitor 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 meropenem/vaborbactam has 12,228. 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 meropenem/vaborbactam — 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.