Tigecycline

Pronunciation: tye-ge-SYE-kleen.

Generic name: tigecycline
Brand names: TYGACIL
Drug class: Tetracycline-class antibacterial (glycylcycline)
Form: Powder for solution for infusion (single-dose vial)
Route: Intravenous infusion
Legal status: Prescription-only intravenous antibacterial medicine

Availability and supply rules vary by country

Trade names by country: United States · Canada

What tigecycline is and how it works

Tigecycline is a tetracycline-class antibacterial given by intravenous infusion. It is approved in the United States for adults with certain complicated skin or skin-structure infections, complicated intra-abdominal infections, and community-acquired bacterial pneumonia caused by susceptible bacteria. (1)

A boxed warning notes higher all-cause mortality compared with alternative antibacterials in a clinical-trial analysis; the medicine is reserved for situations when other treatments are not suitable. The decision to use tigecycline is made by the treating clinician. It is not indicated for diabetic foot infection or hospital-acquired/ventilator-associated pneumonia. Administration, dose, duration, hepatic adjustment, monitoring, and treatment changes are entirely clinician-directed.

Mechanism of action: how tigecycline works

Tigecycline is a glycylcycline antibacterial that inhibits bacterial protein translation by binding to the 30S ribosomal subunit. It is bacteriostatic and active against a range of Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and anaerobic bacteria, although susceptibility must be confirmed. (1)

What tigecycline is used for

Complicated skin and skin-structure infections

Tigecycline may be used for adults with complicated skin or skin-structure infections caused by susceptible organisms. The exact indication, microbiology, and local treatment-guideline context are clinician-determined. (1)

Complicated intra-abdominal infections

It may be used for adults with complicated intra-abdominal infections caused by susceptible organisms. The clinician selects therapy based on source control, microbiology, and local guidelines. (1)

Community-acquired bacterial pneumonia

It may be used for adults with community-acquired bacterial pneumonia caused by susceptible organisms. The clinician determines suitability based on severity, microbiology, and available alternatives. (1)

Before taking tigecycline

Do not take / not appropriate for

Do not receive tigecycline if you have had a severe hypersensitivity reaction to tigecycline or a tetracycline-class antibacterial unless the responsible clinician determines otherwise under the exact local label. (all products) (1)
Tigecycline is not indicated for diabetic foot infection or hospital-acquired/ventilator-associated pneumonia; alternative therapy must be chosen by the clinician. (all indications) (1)

Tell your clinician about

Any previous allergic reaction to a tetracycline (doxycycline, minocycline, tetracycline or similar) or any other medicine.
Current liver problems, previous pancreatitis, any bleeding or clotting condition, or recent antibiotic-associated diarrhoea.
Pregnancy, plans for pregnancy, or breastfeeding — tetracyclines can affect developing teeth and bones.
All current medicines, including anticoagulants, other antibacterials, and any treatment that can affect the liver or pancreas.
Any recent or planned vaccination — tell the clinician before administration.

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How to take tigecycline

Tigecycline is given as an intravenous infusion by a healthcare professional in a hospital or supervised clinical setting.
The dose, infusion time, duration, and any dose adjustment for liver impairment are determined by the treating clinician using the current product label and the individual patient's condition.
Do not request a different dose, infusion speed, or treatment length yourself; these are clinician-directed decisions.
Do not abruptly start or stop any other medicine, including anticoagulants or other antibacterials, without the responsible clinician's instruction.

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Procedures and treatment changes

Tell the treating team before surgery, procedures, or any medicine change. Do not alter treatment without the responsible clinician. (1)

Missed dose

Intravenous doses are scheduled and administered by the clinical team. If you think a planned dose was delayed or missed, bring it to the attention of the treating clinician; do not attempt to arrange an extra infusion yourself.

Overdose

Infusion is clinician-controlled. If a wrong dose, strength, or infusion rate is suspected, the clinical team must assess immediately. Seek emergency care urgently for any sudden allergic-reaction symptoms. (1)

Side effects

Effects can vary by indication and individual patient factors. Nausea and vomiting are very common. Serious adverse effects, although less frequent, require prompt medical attention.

Nausea and vomiting

What to notice: Nausea, vomiting, or reduced appetite during or after the infusion period.

What to do: Tell the treating team so they can assess severity and provide supportive measures as appropriate; do not request dose changes yourself. (1)

Infusion-site reaction

What to notice: Pain, redness, swelling, or tenderness at the intravenous line site.

What to do: Notify the clinical team for assessment and site care. (1)

Pancreatitis

What to notice: Severe upper abdominal pain that may go through to the back, nausea and vomiting that is worsening, or new abdominal tenderness.

What to do: Seek urgent medical assessment; the treating clinician must evaluate pancreatic enzymes and decide whether to continue therapy. (1)

Liver injury

What to notice: New or worsening yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, severe fatigue, loss of appetite, or right-sided upper abdominal discomfort.

What to do: Notify the clinical team promptly for liver-function assessment. (1)

Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhoea

What to notice: Watery or bloody diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, fever that begins during or after treatment.

What to do: Notify the treating clinician immediately; do not use anti-motility medicines unless the clinician specifically instructs you to. (1)

Coagulation abnormality or bleeding

What to notice: Unexplained bruising, prolonged bleeding from minor cuts, nosebleeds, or other unusual bleeding.

What to do: Tell the treating team so they can check clotting parameters. (1)

Serious warnings

Anaphylaxis or serious hypersensitivity — emergency

Symptoms: Wheezing or breathing difficulty, throat or tongue swelling, trouble swallowing, hives, widespread rash, faintness, weak or rapid heartbeat, or a feeling of impending danger.

Action: Alert clinical staff immediately or call emergency services if outside a monitored setting. Emergency treatment must be given without delay. (1)

All-cause mortality boxed warning — clinician_decision_context

Symptoms: Tigecycline was associated with higher all-cause mortality than comparator antibacterials in a meta-analysis of clinical trials. This safety finding does not describe a single acute symptom you will feel. The decision to use tigecycline is reserved for situations when alternative treatments are not suitable.

Action: Understand that your clinician considered this risk before selecting therapy. Discuss any concerns with the treating team, but do not stop treatment or ask for a change based solely on this boxed warning — the clinician must direct any treatment decision. (1)

Acute pancreatitis — emergency

Symptoms: Sudden severe upper abdominal pain, often radiating to the back, accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

Action: Seek emergency medical attention promptly and let the clinician you see advise on whether to continue or stop tigecycline. (1)

Interactions

Medicine or test	Effect	Action
Anticoagulants (warfarin or similar)	Tigecycline may increase anticoagulant effect and prolong clotting times; bleeding risk can rise.	The clinician must monitor coagulation parameters closely and adjust anticoagulant therapy as appropriate; do not alter your anticoagulant dose yourself. (1)
Other antibacterials or medicines that affect the liver or pancreas	Combined use may complicate assessment of adverse effects, particularly hepatic injury or pancreatitis.	Give the treating clinician a complete list of all current medicines before and during tigecycline therapy. (1)
Oral contraceptives	Antibacterials can occasionally reduce the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives.	Discuss contraceptive reliability with the treating clinician; they may recommend additional non-hormonal precautions during and for a period after treatment. (1)

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, kidney/liver function, age

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Tetracycline-class antibacterials can affect developing teeth and bones. The treating clinician must assess benefit and risk for the individual pregnant or breastfeeding patient before use. Do not stop treatment on your own without the clinician's direction, because uncontrolled serious infection can also be harmful. (1)

Hepatic impairment

Dose adjustment may be needed for patients with moderate or severe liver impairment. This is a clinician-directed calculation using the current label; the patient must not adjust the regimen themselves. (1)

Children and adolescents

Tigecycline use in patients under 18 years of age is not standard; tooth and bone development are relevant safety concerns. The US label does not provide a paediatric indication in this draft evidence set. A paediatric infectious-disease specialist must direct any use. (1)

Monitoring

Before starting

Confirm the exact diagnosis, microbiology, infection source-control plan, and local guideline alignment.
Assess previous hypersensitivity to tetracyclines, liver function, pancreatic history, coagulation status, pregnancy status, and all concomitant medicines.
Review the boxed mortality-warning context against alternative antibacterial options; document the rationale for selecting tigecycline when alternatives are unsuitable.
Determine dose, infusion schedule, hepatic adjustment if applicable, and planned duration.

During treatment

Monitor clinically for signs of anaphylaxis, pancreatitis, hepatic injury, C. difficile diarrhoea, superinfection, and coagulation abnormalities.
Perform laboratory monitoring of liver enzymes, pancreatic enzymes, and coagulation parameters as clinically indicated and specified in the product label.
Reassess microbiology, clinical response, and continuing need for tigecycline at regular intervals; duration is clinician-directed.
Do not extend treatment duration beyond the clinician's prescribed course without formal reassessment.

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Storage

Tigecycline is stored, reconstituted, and administered by the clinical team according to the product label and local hospital pharmacy protocols. Patients do not store or handle the vials themselves.

Professional information

Clinician-facing context only. Use the current local indication, dosing table, hepatic-adjustment instructions, infusion-rate guidance, and institutional antimicrobial stewardship policy.

United States (current label evidence)

Indication: Complicated skin/skin-structure infections, complicated intra-abdominal infections, community-acquired bacterial pneumonia

Dose summary: No universal dose is displayed in these source-bounded notes. All doses, infusion times, duration, and hepatic adjustments are clinician-directed using the current product label.

Renal context: Renal dosing details were not included in the supplied research notes; the treating clinician must use the current product label. (1)

Mechanism of action

Hepatic guidance

Dose adjustment for moderate or severe hepatic impairment is detailed in the current US label and must be applied by the treating clinician; this page does not provide patient-directed adjustment instructions.

Overdose note

Overdose or dosing-error management requires clinician assessment, infusion review, supportive care, and poison-centre or specialist advice as appropriate. (1)

Frequently asked questions

Why am I receiving tigecycline only in hospital or a supervised infusion setting?

Tigecycline is an intravenous antibacterial given by infusion. It requires clinician-controlled dosing, monitoring for serious adverse effects including anaphylaxis, and laboratory safety checks that cannot be performed at home. (1)

What does the boxed mortality warning mean for my treatment?

A clinical-trial analysis found higher all-cause mortality with tigecycline compared with other antibacterials. Because of this, tigecycline is reserved for situations when alternative treatments are not suitable. Your clinician considered this safety evidence before deciding your treatment. Discuss any concerns with the treating team; treatment decisions are clinician-directed. (1)

What symptoms require urgent attention during tigecycline treatment?

Seek immediate medical attention for difficulty breathing, throat or tongue swelling, sudden severe upper abdominal pain or back pain with nausea, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or watery or bloody diarrhoea. All of these can indicate serious adverse effects that the clinical team must assess without delay. (1)

Can my treatment duration be changed?

Duration is determined by the clinician based on infection type, clinical response, microbiology, and label guidance. Do not request a longer or shorter course yourself; the clinician reassesses at planned intervals. (1)

What is the mechanism of action of tigecycline?

What is the generic name of Tigecycline?

The generic name is tigecycline. It is sold under brand names including TYGACIL. (1)

What class of drug is tigecycline?

Tigecycline is classed as: Tetracycline-class antibacterial (glycylcycline). (1)

References

TYGACIL (tigecycline) — prescribing informationU.S. Food and Drug Administration via DailyMed · United States · dated 2025-11-18 · accessed 2026-08-11 · source 1
TIGECYCLINE INJECTION, POWDER, LYOPHILIZED, FOR SOLUTION [SANDOZ INC] — US prescribing information (DailyMed SPL)U.S. National Library of Medicine (DailyMed) · US · accessed 2026-08-14 · source 2
Tigecycline Injection — patient drug information (MedlinePlus)U.S. National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus) · US · accessed 2026-08-14 · source 3
Tigecycline — FDA approval record (Drugs@FDA ANDA204439)U.S. Food and Drug Administration · US · accessed 2026-08-14 · source 4
tigecycline — RxNorm normalized drug concept (RXCUI 384455)U.S. National Library of Medicine (RxNorm) · US · accessed 2026-08-14 · source 5

Brand names by country

Single-ingredient tigecycline names are shown separately by country. Product availability, strengths, and supply rules can change; combination products are not included here.

Priority countries

United States

Tygacil50 mg/5mL · wyeth pharmaceuticals llc, a subsidiary of pfizer inc.

Canada

TYGACIL

View brands in additional countries.