Addressing current medical needs in invasive fungal infection prevention and treatment with new antifungal agents, strategies and formulations

Abstract

Introduction: Morbidity and mortality associated with invasive fungal infections (IFIs) remains unacceptably high. Such diseases represent a substantial burden to the healthcare system. New options are needed to address antifungal resistance in existing and emerging pathogens and improve treatment outcomes while minimizing drug-related toxicities and interactions. Awareness of new and potential future options is of great value for those healthcare professionals who care for patients with IFIs.

Areas covered: A search of PubMed, infectious diseases conference abstracts and reference lists from relevant publications was conducted and relevant information abstracted. This review describes the limitations of existing systemic antifungal therapies (e.g., resistance, drug-drug interactions, drug-related toxicities) and summarizes data regarding several emerging antifungal compounds including (but not limited to) new triazoles (e.g. isavuconazole, ravuconazole), echinocandins (e.g., aminocandin) and nikkomycin Z. Agents in clinical trials such as (but not limited to) new triazoles (e.g., isavuconazole, ravuconazole), echinocandins (e.g., aminocandin) and nikkomycin are included. New formulations of existing drugs including reformulations of miconazole, posaconazole and amphotericin B are also reviewed. Finally, new or novel administration strategies for existing drugs such as combination antifungal therapy, antifungal dose escalation, adjunctive use of iron chelators and preemptive therapy are discussed.

Expert opinion: All present antifungal agents have some deficiencies in antifungal spectra, toxicity, pharmacokinetics and/or drug–drug interactions, making them less than ideal for some fungal infections. Therefore, there remains an urgent need to find safe, effective, rapidly fungicidal, broad-spectrum antifungal agents with excellent pharmacodynamics to effectively eliminate the fungus from the body with short antifungal courses.

Keywords:

• combination therapy
• dose escalation
• invasive fungal infection
• isavuconazole
• new antifungals