In 1995, we collaborated with George Miller, then at the Schering-Plough Research Institute, on a project aimed at monitoring aminoglycoside resistance. The study compared the efficacy of isepamicin to that of other related drugs. Additional work, also sponsored by Schering-Plough, assessed the prevalence of aminoglycoside resistance among bacteria that cause nosocomial infections.

Since 1996 we are collaborating with Bayer on multiple projects involving moxifloxacin, Bayer's third-generation quinolone. We have worked on five in vitro projects, and participated in the microbiological analyses of more than ten other clinical trials. Published results from these projects include six research articles, three abstracts in international congresses, and three abstracts in local meetings. Isabel Nivon, Fabrizio Delissalde, Ximena Garcia and Carlos Amabile have participated in these efforts.

Also in 1996, we set-up a quantitative RT-PCR assay for measuring the viral load of hepatitis C and hepatitis B in blood. For 4 years, we provided testing services for several clinical trials sponsored by Schering-Plough using interferon and ribavirin against these diseases.

In 2001, we started conducting microbiological tests for clinical trials of an oral carbapenem, faropenem, produced by Bayer. In addition, we helped assess the antimicrobial effects of new triflylpyridinium triflate compounds developed at the National University of Mexico.

In 2002, we trained laboratory technicians from several hospitals to allow them to conduct a resistance survey sponsored by Merck Sharp & Dohme, that included both, imipenem and ertapenem.

Since year 2002 we worked with Wyeth in the training and teaching on the characteristics of piperacillin-tazobactam first, and then of tigecycline. Starting on year 2007, LUSARA is one of the centers for the Tigecycline Evaluation and Surveillance Trial (TEST; www.testsurveillance.com), that monitors resistance among the main nosocomial pathogens. Results from the first thousand Mexican isolates were published in the 2008 European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, held in Barcelona.