Drug Groups

approved; investigational

Description

Anidulafungin or Eraxis is an anti-fungal drug manufactured by Pfizer that gained approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February 21, 2006; it was previously known as LY303366. There is preliminary evidence that it has a similar safety profile to caspofungin. [Wikipedia]

Indication

For use in the treatment of the following fungal infections: Candidemia and other forms of Candida infections (intra-abdominal abscess, and peritonitis), Aspergillus infections, and esophageal candidiasis. Also considered an alternative treatment for oropharyngeal canaidiasis.

Pharmacology

Anidulafungin is a semi-synthetic lipopeptide synthesized from a fermentation product of Aspergillus nidulans. Anidulafungin is an echinocandin, a class of antifungal drugs that inhibits the synthesis of 1,3-β-D-glucan, an essential component of fungal cell walls. Anidulafungin is active in vitro against many Candida, as well as some Aspergillus. Like other echinocandins, anidulafungin is not active against Cryptococcus neoformans, Trichosporon, Fusarium, or zygomycetes.

Toxicity

During clinical trials a single 400 mg dose of anidulafungin was inadvertently administered as a loading dose. No clinical adverse events were reported. The maximum non-lethal dose of anidulafungin in rats was 50 mg/kg, a dose which is equivalent to 10 times the recommended daily dose for esophageal candidiasis (50mg/day).

Affected Organisms

Biotransformation

Hepatic metabolism of anidulafungin has not been observed. Anidulafungin is not a clinically relevant substrate, inducer, or inhibitor of cytochrome P450 (CYP450) isoenzymes. Anidulafungin undergoes slow chemical degradation at physiologic temperature and pH to a ring-opened peptide that lacks antifungal activity.

Half Life

40-50 hours

Protein Binding

84%

Elimination

Less than 1% of the administered radioactive dose was excreted in the urine. Anidulafungin is not hepatically metabolized.

Distribution

* 30 to 50 L

Clearance

* 1 L/h

References

External Links