Agar dilution was used to compare the in vitro activity of CP 99,219 with those of ciprofloxacin, grepafloxacin, metronidazole, cefoxitin, piperacillin, and piperacillin-tazobactam against 489 anaerobes. CP 99,219 yielded a MIC for 50% of the strains tested (MIC(50)) of 0.25 mu g/ml and a MIC(90) of 1.0 mu g/ml, with 99.6% of the strains susceptible at a breakpoint of 2.0 mu g/ml. Ciprofloxacin and grepafloxacin were less active (MIC(50), 4.0 mu g/ml; MIC(90), 32.0 mu g/ml and 2.0 and 16.0 mu g/ml, respectively). Metronidazole was active against all gram-negative rods (MIC(90), 4.0 mu g/ml), but 31% of the gram-positive anaerobes were resistant at >8.0 mu g/ml. Cefoxitin was active against 84% of all strains at less than or equal to 16.0 mu g/ml, with a MIC(50) of 4.0 mu g/ml and a MIC(90) of 32.0 mu g/ml. Tazobactam enhanced the activity of piperacillin against >95% of the beta-lactamase-producing gram-negative anaerobic rods (MIC(90), 16.0 mu g/ml).