The present invention includes a composition, method of making and method of using a novel C5-substituted carbapenem antibiotic of formula 1: R1 is H or CH3 R2 is not H, and is CH3, or C1-C6 straight chain, or branched alkyl, or C3-C6 cycloalkyl group, or unsaturated alkenyl, including C═CH2; R3 is H, CH3, or a C1-C6 alkyl or cycloalkyl group, a heteroatom-substituted alkyl; and R4 is a C1 to C6 alkyl, or substituted alkyl group, especially including substituents which possess positive charge, or a hydroxyl group; or R4 is an SRa, where Ra is an unsubstituted C1 to C6 alkyl group, a substituted C1 to C6 alkyl group, or a functional group that is positively charged, or which bears a positive charge when in aqueous solution at pH 7; or R4 is a CH2ORb, where Rb=C1 to C6 alkyl or substituted alkyl groups, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, or a heteroaryl groups.