TY - JOUR
T1 - The echinocandin micafungin
T2 - A review of the pharmacology, spectrum of activity, clinical efficacy and safety
AU - Wiederhold, Nathan P.
AU - Lewis, James S.
PY - 2007/6
Y1 - 2007/6
N2 - Micafungin is a relatively broad-spectrum antifungal agent available for clinical use in the US and Japan. By inhibiting the production of β-1,3-glucan, an essential fungal cell wall component, micafungin has reduced toxicity to mammalian cells while maintaining potent antifungal activity against many pathogenic fungi including polyene- and azole-resistant isolates. Indeed, micafungin has been shown to be efficacious in the treatment of infections caused by Candida and Aspergillus species in clinical trials without the associated toxicities of amphotericin B formulations and drug interactions that occur with the azoles. In this review, the pharmacology, spectrum of activity, clinical efficacy and safety profile of micafungin are discussed.
AB - Micafungin is a relatively broad-spectrum antifungal agent available for clinical use in the US and Japan. By inhibiting the production of β-1,3-glucan, an essential fungal cell wall component, micafungin has reduced toxicity to mammalian cells while maintaining potent antifungal activity against many pathogenic fungi including polyene- and azole-resistant isolates. Indeed, micafungin has been shown to be efficacious in the treatment of infections caused by Candida and Aspergillus species in clinical trials without the associated toxicities of amphotericin B formulations and drug interactions that occur with the azoles. In this review, the pharmacology, spectrum of activity, clinical efficacy and safety profile of micafungin are discussed.
KW - Aspergillus
KW - Candida
KW - Echinocandin
KW - Invasive aspergillosis
KW - Invasive candidiasis
KW - Micafungin
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34250648471&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=34250648471&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1517/14656566.8.8.1155
DO - 10.1517/14656566.8.8.1155
M3 - Review article
C2 - 17516879
AN - SCOPUS:34250648471
SN - 1465-6566
VL - 8
SP - 1155
EP - 1166
JO - Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy
JF - Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy
IS - 8
ER -