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Drugs
Published in: Drugs 19/2004

01-10-2004 | Adis Drug Profile

Anidulafungin

Authors: David Murdoch, Greg L. Plosker

Published in: Drugs | Issue 19/2004

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Abstract

  • ▲ Anidulafungin is a novel antifungal agent which, like other echinocandins, inhibits β-(1,3)-D-glucan synthase and disrupts fungal cell-wall synthesis. It has marked antifungal activity against a broad spectrum of Candida spp. and Aspergillus spp., including amphotericin B- and triazole-resistant strains.
  • ▲ In clinical trials, anidulafungin has primarily been evaluated in patients with oesophageal and invasive candidiasis. Preliminary data are emerging for other indications such as invasive aspergillosis.
  • ▲ In a large, multicentre, double-blind, double-dummy, randomised trial in patients with oesophageal candidiasis, intravenous anidulafungin 50 mg/day was as effective as oral fluconazole 100 mg/day regarding end-of-treatment rates of endoscopic cure and clinical and microbiological success. Duration of treatment was approximately 2–3 weeks, and patients in both groups received a loading dose of study drug (twice the daily maintenance dose) on day 1.
  • ▲ Anidulafungin is generally well tolerated. Across the dosage range 50–100 mg/day, adverse events appear not to be dose- or infusion-related. In the largest clinical trial to date, the most common treatment-related adverse events were phlebitis/thrombophlebitis, headache, nausea, vomiting and pyrexia.
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Metadata
Title
Anidulafungin
Authors
David Murdoch
Greg L. Plosker
Publication date
01-10-2004
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Published in
Drugs / Issue 19/2004
Print ISSN: 0012-6667
Electronic ISSN: 1179-1950
DOI
https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-200464190-00011

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