New Treatment for Candidemia

A new drug called Vfend (voriconazole) has been found to be as effective for treating non-neutropenic patients with candidemia as two older antifungals and has fewer serious side effects, according to a study published in the October 2005 issue of The Lancet.

Candidemia is an often-fatal bloodstream infection, caused by Candida, and acquired in the hospital where it can lead to other organ infections. Those at high risk for the infection are surgical patients and others who have compromised immune systems. Both Vfend and amphotericin B followed by fluconazole are approved as treatments for candidemia. Amphotericin B, however, is associated with toxic effects, which include the risk of liver failure. The prevalence of fluconazole-resistant Candida is increasing.

After evaluating the two treatments in 370 patients, the investigators found that the effectiveness of the treatments was comparable, including the time needed to clear Candida from the blood. As a result, the investigators concluded that Vfend is among the best treatment options for candidemia in non-neutropenic patients because of its efficacy, tolerability, broad spectrum, and the availability of both intravenous (IV) and oral formulations. In another recent study, Vfend was also found effective for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis.

Although there were more discontinuations of the Vfend group, most of these were due to non-drug related events. In fact, patients taking Vfend had fewer serious adverse side events, such as renal toxicity. Vfend is the product of Pfizer, Inc. (New York, NY, USA).

"Because of Vfend's broad spectrum of activity against infections caused by yeasts and molds, it is a good first-choice treatment option for immunocomprimised patients who are at risk for those types of infection,” said investigator Dr. Jack D. Sobel, chief of the division of infectious diseases at Wayne State University School of Medicine (Detroit, MI, US).





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