This compound serves as a key intermediate in the pharmaceutical industry for the synthesis of broad-spectrum antibiotics, particularly fluoroquinolone and naphthyridine derivatives. The final antibiotics derived from this intermediate inhibit bacterial DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV, making them effective against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. It is commonly used in the development of drugs targeting respiratory, urinary tract, and skin infections. The ethyl ester functionality aids in synthetic accessibility and can contribute to improved bioavailability in the resulting therapeutic agents. Research continues to explore the application of these derived antibiotics against antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains.