DuP-721 is a broad spectrum and orally active antibacterial agent. DuP-721 inhibits a variety of clinically susceptible and resistant bacteria, especially M. tuberculosis.

DuP-721 (1.5-4 μg/ml) effectively inhibits both conventional antituberculosis drug-susceptible and -resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains without showing cross-resistance to any tested anti-tuberculosis drugs[1]. However, it is ineffective against M. avium and M. intracellulare at concentrations up to 250 μg/ml. Conversely, it demonstrates inhibitory activity against M. gordonoe and M. fortuitum at a concentration of 3.9 μg/ml, and against M. kansasii and M. scrofulaceum at concentrations of 1.95 μg/ml and 15.6 μg/ml, respectively[1].

DuP-721, the first oxazolidinone showed good activity against M. tuberculosis when given orally or parenterally to experimental animals. DuP-721 (oral gavage; 50-160 mg/kg) is protective against M. tuberculosis infection in mice. DuP-721 protects 100% of the infected animals at 50 mg/kg p.o. dose when administered daily for 17 days, and the same effect is observed at 160 mg/kg dose when the drug is administered only on day 11 and 12 post infection[1].