Skip to main content

Emerging echinocandins for treatment of invasive fungal infections.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Turner, MS; Drew, RH; Perfect, JR
Published in: Expert Opin Emerg Drugs
May 2006

The echinocandins are a new class of antifungals, developed in response to the need for safe and effective antifungals for the treatment of invasive fungal infections. These agents work by inhibiting 1,3-beta-d-glucan synthase, an enzyme essential for production of cell walls in select fungi. Echinocandins appear to demonstrate favourable activity in vitro against a variety of yeasts (including both Candida albicans and non-albicans Candida) as well as select moulds (including Aspergillus spp.) In general, all echninocandins demonstrate a favourable safety profile and require once-daily parenteral administration. Caspofungin is the first of these agents to be available in the US, and is approved for empirical antifungal therapy in febrile neutropenic patients, candidaemia and select forms of invasive candidiasis, and for management of invasive aspergillosis in patients refractory to or intolerant of other therapies. Micafungin was recently approved by the FDA for treatment of oesophageal candidiasis, and for the prophylaxis of fungal infections in haematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. Emerging data indicate micafungin may have an important role in the treatment of invasive forms of candidiasis. Anidulafungin is an echinocandin approved in the US for treatment of candidaemia and oesophageal candidiasis. Aminocandin (HMR-3702, IP-960) is an investigational agent, with published experience limited to in vitro studies and animal models of infection.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Expert Opin Emerg Drugs

DOI

EISSN

1744-7623

Publication Date

May 2006

Volume

11

Issue

2

Start / End Page

231 / 250

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Pharmacology & Pharmacy
  • Peptides, Cyclic
  • Mycoses
  • Lipopeptides
  • Humans
  • Echinocandins
  • Drugs, Investigational
  • Drug Resistance, Fungal
  • Caspofungin
  • Antifungal Agents
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Turner, M. S., Drew, R. H., & Perfect, J. R. (2006). Emerging echinocandins for treatment of invasive fungal infections. Expert Opin Emerg Drugs, 11(2), 231–250. https://doi.org/10.1517/14728214.11.2.231
Turner, Michelle S., Richard H. Drew, and John R. Perfect. “Emerging echinocandins for treatment of invasive fungal infections.Expert Opin Emerg Drugs 11, no. 2 (May 2006): 231–50. https://doi.org/10.1517/14728214.11.2.231.
Turner MS, Drew RH, Perfect JR. Emerging echinocandins for treatment of invasive fungal infections. Expert Opin Emerg Drugs. 2006 May;11(2):231–50.
Turner, Michelle S., et al. “Emerging echinocandins for treatment of invasive fungal infections.Expert Opin Emerg Drugs, vol. 11, no. 2, May 2006, pp. 231–50. Pubmed, doi:10.1517/14728214.11.2.231.
Turner MS, Drew RH, Perfect JR. Emerging echinocandins for treatment of invasive fungal infections. Expert Opin Emerg Drugs. 2006 May;11(2):231–250.

Published In

Expert Opin Emerg Drugs

DOI

EISSN

1744-7623

Publication Date

May 2006

Volume

11

Issue

2

Start / End Page

231 / 250

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Pharmacology & Pharmacy
  • Peptides, Cyclic
  • Mycoses
  • Lipopeptides
  • Humans
  • Echinocandins
  • Drugs, Investigational
  • Drug Resistance, Fungal
  • Caspofungin
  • Antifungal Agents