Clinical Medicine Insights: Therapeutics

In 2006 a third echinocandin, anidulafungin, was approved in the USA for the treatment of candida esophagitis, candidemia, and invasive candida infections such as intra-abdominal abscesses and peritonitis in the non-neutropenic patient. Two years later it was approved in the EU for invasive candidiasis in non-neutropenic patients. Like other echinocandins, it is fungicidal against Candida species and fungistatic against Aspergillus species. It does not need adjustment for renal or hepatic insufficiency, and has no known drug interactions. Its administration is by the intravenous route only, and it is well tolerated. A steady state concentration can be achieved on day two by giving twice the maintenance dose on day one.