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Teaching old drugs new tricks: reincarnating immunosuppressants as antifungal drugs.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Blankenship, JR; Steinbach, WJ; Perfect, JR; Heitman, J
Published in: Curr Opin Investig Drugs
February 2003

Invasive fungal infections are rising worldwide as the number of immunocompromised patients increases. Unfortunately, our armamentarium of antifungal drugs is limited. Although current therapies are effective in treating some of the most prevalent infections, the development of novel treatments is vital because of emerging drug-resistant strains and species and because of the toxicity of certain current therapies. The immunosuppressive drugs CsA (cyclosporin A), FK-506 (tacrolimus) and rapamycin (sirolimus) exert potent antifungal effects against a variety of pathogenic fungi. These compounds are all currently in clinical use as immunosuppressive therapy to treat and prevent rejection of transplanted organs. Rapamycin is also in clinical trials as an antiproliferative agent for chemotherapy and invasive cardiology. Recent studies reveal a potent fungicidal synergism between azoles and the calcineurin inhibitors CsA and FK-506, and animal studies demonstrate that the CsA-fluconazole synergistic combination has therapeutic benefit. Less immunosuppressive analogs have been identified with potential to enhance current therapies, or as monotherapy without deleterious effects on the immune system. In summary, these highly successful pharmaceutical agents may find an even broader clinical application in combating infectious diseases.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Curr Opin Investig Drugs

ISSN

1472-4472

Publication Date

February 2003

Volume

4

Issue

2

Start / End Page

192 / 199

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Tacrolimus
  • Sirolimus
  • Pharmacology & Pharmacy
  • Mycoses
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Immunophilins
  • Humans
  • Fungi
  • Cyclosporine
  • Calcineurin Inhibitors
 

Citation

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MLA
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Blankenship, J. R., Steinbach, W. J., Perfect, J. R., & Heitman, J. (2003). Teaching old drugs new tricks: reincarnating immunosuppressants as antifungal drugs. Curr Opin Investig Drugs, 4(2), 192–199.
Blankenship, Jill R., William J. Steinbach, John R. Perfect, and Joseph Heitman. “Teaching old drugs new tricks: reincarnating immunosuppressants as antifungal drugs.Curr Opin Investig Drugs 4, no. 2 (February 2003): 192–99.
Blankenship JR, Steinbach WJ, Perfect JR, Heitman J. Teaching old drugs new tricks: reincarnating immunosuppressants as antifungal drugs. Curr Opin Investig Drugs. 2003 Feb;4(2):192–9.
Blankenship, Jill R., et al. “Teaching old drugs new tricks: reincarnating immunosuppressants as antifungal drugs.Curr Opin Investig Drugs, vol. 4, no. 2, Feb. 2003, pp. 192–99.
Blankenship JR, Steinbach WJ, Perfect JR, Heitman J. Teaching old drugs new tricks: reincarnating immunosuppressants as antifungal drugs. Curr Opin Investig Drugs. 2003 Feb;4(2):192–199.

Published In

Curr Opin Investig Drugs

ISSN

1472-4472

Publication Date

February 2003

Volume

4

Issue

2

Start / End Page

192 / 199

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Tacrolimus
  • Sirolimus
  • Pharmacology & Pharmacy
  • Mycoses
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Immunophilins
  • Humans
  • Fungi
  • Cyclosporine
  • Calcineurin Inhibitors