Study Comparing the Safety and Efficacy of Cethromycin to Clarithromycin for the Treatment of Community-Acquired Pneumonia

Inclusion Criteria: Ambulatory male or female, 18 years of age or older If female, non-lactating and at no risk or pregnancy (post-menopausal or must use adequate birth control) Positive Chest X-ray consistent with diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia Must be a suitable candidate for oral antibiotic therapy and must be able to swallow capsules intact Recent history of respiratory illness consistent with the clinical signs and symptoms of bacterial CAP Must be able to produce sputum Exclusion Criteria: Prior hospitalization within previous 4 weeks Residence at a chronic care facility Active tuberculosis (or other mycobacterial infection, empyema, lung abscess, pulmonary embolism, pulmonary edema, cystic fibrosis, tumor (primary or metastatic) involving the lung, bronchial obstruction, a history of post-obstructive pneumonia (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease [COPD] is not exclusionary), known or suspected Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia Treatment with long-acting antimicrobial agents within the last 4 weeks, treatment with ceftriaxone, azithromycin or dirithromycin antibiotic within the last 7 days, or subjects who have received more than 24 hours of treatment with other antibiotics within 7 days prior to study drug administration Any infection which requires the use of a concomitant antimicrobial agent History of hypersensitivity or allergic reactions to macrolide, ketolide, quinolone, azalide or streptogramin antimicrobials Treatment with another investigational drug within the last 4 weeks Females who are pregnant or lactating Subjects with known significant renal or hepatic impairment or disease Subjects with a history of impaired renal function Evidence of uncontrolled clinically significant cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic, gastrointestinal, neurological or endocrine disease, malignancy, or other abnormality (other than the disease being studied) Subjects who would require parenteral antimicrobial therapy for the treatment of pneumonia Any underlying disease or condition that would interfere with the completion of the study procedures and evaluations or absorption of the study drug Currently receiving or are likely to require any of the following medications during the period between 2 weeks prior to Evaluation 1 and within 24 hours after the last dose of study drug: astemizol (Hismanal®) or pimozide (Orap®) Currently receiving or are likely to require any of the following during the period from Evaluation 1 and within 24 hours after the last dose of study drug: theophylline or theophylline analogues (unless adequately monitored), carbamazepine, dexamethasone, phenobarbital, phenytoin, St. John's Wort, lamotrigine, troglitazone, warfarin and digitalis glycoside. Other barbiturates may be used with careful monitoring Subjects who are currently receiving or who are likely to require any of the following medications during the period between Evaluation 1 and 4: other systemic antibiotic therapy, rifampin or rifabutin Immunocompromised subjects, subjects receiving immunosuppressive agents, subjects with known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections and history of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) defining conditions or CD4+ T-lymphocyte count <200. Subject with known or suspected central nervous system (CNS) disorder that predisposes them to seizures/lower seizure threshold (e.g., severe cerebral arteriosclerosis, epilepsy) Previous treatment with cethromycin Subjects with signs of septic shock (e.g., mental confusion, severe hypoxemia, severe hypotension, any other condition requiring intensive care unit [ICU] admission)