We have previously demonstrated that a high-dose, prolonged-infusion meropenem regimen (2 g every 8 h [q8h]; 3-hour infusion) can achieve 40% free drug concentration above the MIC against Pseudomonas aeruginosa with MICs of <or=16 microg/ml. The objective of this experiment was to compare the efficacy of this high-dose, prolonged-infusion regimen against carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates with the efficacy against P. aeruginosa isolates having similar meropenem MICs. An in vitro pharmacodynamic model was used to simulate human serum concentrations. Eleven genotypically confirmed K. pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing isolates and six clinical P. aeruginosa isolates were tested for 24 h, and time-kill curves were constructed. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to verify meropenem concentrations in each experiment. Meropenem achieved a rapid >or=3 log CFU reduction against all KPC isolates within 6 h, followed by regrowth in all but two isolates. The targeted %fT>MIC (percent time that free drug concentrations remain above the MIC) exposure was achieved against both of these KPC isolates (100% fT>MIC versus MIC=2 microg/ml, 75% fT>MIC versus MIC=8 microg/ml). Against KPC isolates with MICs of 8 and 16 microg/ml that did regrow, actual meropenem exposures were significantly lower than targeted due to rapid in vitro hydrolysis, whereby targeted %fT>MIC was reduced with each subsequent dosing. In contrast, a >or=3 log CFU reduction was maintained over 24 h for all Pseudomonas isolates with meropenem MICs of 8 and 16 microg/ml. Although KPC and P. aeruginosa isolates may share similar meropenem MICs, the differing resistance mechanisms produce discordant responses to a high-dose, prolonged infusion of meropenem. Thus, predicting the efficacy of an antimicrobial regimen based on MIC may not be a valid assumption for KPC-producing organisms.