First-line Treatment Of Invasive Aspergillosis Research Articles

Isavuconazole Versus Voriconazole as the First-line Therapy for Solid Organ Transplant Recipients With Invasive Aspergillosis: Comparative Analysis of 2 Multicenter Cohort Studies.

Isavuconazole (ISA) and voriconazole (VORI) are recommended as the first-line treatment for invasive aspergillosis (IA). Despite theoretical advantages of ISA, both triazole agents have not been compared in solid organ transplant recipients. We performed a post hoc analysis of 2 retrospective multicenter cohorts of solid organ transplant recipients with invasive fungal disease (the SOTIS [Solid Organ Transplantation and ISavuconazole] and DiasperSOT [DIagnosis of ASPERgillosis in Solid Organ Transplantation] studies). We selected adult patients with proven/probable IA that were treated for ≥48 h with ISA (n = 57) or VORI (n = 77) as first-line therapy, either in monotherapy or combination regimen. The primary outcome was the rate of clinical response at 12 wk from the initiation of therapy. Secondary outcomes comprised 12-wk all-cause and IA-attributable mortality and the rates of treatment-emergent adverse events and premature treatment discontinuation. Both groups were comparable in their demographics and major clinical and treatment-related variables. There were no differences in the rate of 12-wk clinical response between the ISA and VORI groups (59.6% versus 59.7%, respectively; odds ratio [OR], 0.99; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.49-2.00). This result was confirmed after propensity score adjustment (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.32-2.05) and matching (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.31-2.04). All-cause and IA-attributable mortality were also similar. Patients in the ISA group were less likely to experience treatment-emergent adverse events (17.5% versus 37.7%; P = 0.011) and premature treatment discontinuation (8.8% versus 23.4%; P = 0.027). Front-line treatment with ISA for posttransplant IA led to similar clinical outcomes than VORI, with better tolerability and higher treatment completion.

Impact of CYP2C19, CYP2C9, CYP3A4, and FMO3 Genetic Polymorphisms and Sex on the Pharmacokinetics of Voriconazole after Single and Multiple Doses in Healthy Chinese Subjects.

Voriconazole is the first-line treatment for invasive aspergillosis. Its pharmacokinetics exhibit considerable inter- and intra-individual variability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of CYP2C19, CYP2C9, CYP3A4, and FMO3 genetic polymorphisms and sex on the pharmacokinetics of voriconazole in healthy Chinese adults receiving single-dose and multiple-dose voriconazole, to provide a reference for its clinical individualized treatment. A total of 123 healthy adults were enrolled in the study, with 108 individuals and 15 individuals in the single-dose and multiple-dose doses, respectively. Plasma voriconazole concentrations were measured using a validated LC-MS/MS method, and pharmacokinetics parameters were calculated using the non-compartmental method with WinNonlin 8.2. CYP2C19, CYP2C9, CYP3A4, and FMO3 single-nucleotide polymorphisms were sequenced using the Illumina Hiseq X-Ten platform. The results suggested that CYP2C19 genetic polymorphisms significantly affected the pharmacokinetics of voriconazole at single doses of 4, 6, and 8 mg/kg and multiple doses of voriconazole. CYP3A4 rs2242480 had a significant effect on AUC0-∞ (area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time 0 to infinity) and MRT (mean residence time) of voriconazole at a single dose of 4 mg/kg in CYP2C19 extensive metabolizer. Regardless of the CYP2C19 genotype, CYP2C9 rs1057910 and FMO3 rs2266780 were not associated with the pharmacokinetics of voriconazole at three single-dose levels or multiple doses. No significant differences in most voriconazole pharmacokinetics parameters were noted between male and female participants after single and multiple dosing. For patients receiving voriconazole treatment, CYP2C19 genetic polymorphisms should be genotyped for its precision administration. In contrast, based on our study of healthy Chinese adults, it seems unnecessary to consider the effects of CYP2C9, CYP3A4, and FMO3 genetic polymorphisms on voriconazole pharmacokinetics.

Lower blood levels of isavuconazole in critically ill patients compared with other populations: possible need for therapeutic drug monitoring.

Isavuconazole is first-line treatment of invasive aspergillosis. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is deemed not necessary, since most patients reached therapeutic levels (>1 mg/L) in large studies. Low levels were reported in some critically ill patients admitted to the ICU. The aim was to compare isavuconazole levels between critically ill and non-critically ill patients. Retrospective analysis of data from all patients treated with standard-dose isavuconazole between 1 January 2019 and 26 October 2022 was performed. The following data were collected: TDM results from the first 30 days of therapy; ward of admission; demographic and clinical characteristics; continuous renal replacement therapy; extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; and co-administered drugs. Seventy-two patients (median age 65 years) and 188 TDM measurements (mean number of samples per patient 2.6 ± 1.7) were included; 33 (45.8%) were ICU patients (3 also had haematological disorders); 39 (54.2%) were non-ICU patients, of whom 31 had haematological disorders. In all patients, the mean isavuconazole blood level was 3.33 ± 2.26 mg/L. Significantly lower levels were observed in the ICU versus the non-ICU population: mean 2.02 ± 1.22 versus 4.15 ± 2.31 mg/L (P < 0.001). Significantly higher rates of subtherapeutic levels were observed in ICU patients compared with the non-ICU population: all determinations <2 mg/L in 33.3% versus 7.7%, and all determinations <1 mg/L in 12.1% versus 0%, respectively. Predictors of lower isavuconazole levels were admission to the ICU, BMI > 25 kg/m2, bilirubin > 1.2 mg/dL and the absence of haematological disorder. ICU patients had significantly lower isavuconazole blood levels compared to non-ICU population. The TDM of isavuconazole for efficacy should be performed in ICU.

Real-World, Multicenter Case Series of Patients Treated with Isavuconazole for Invasive Fungal Disease in China.

The incidence of invasive fungal disease (IFD) has increased significantly, and IFD is a major cause of mortality among those with hematological malignancies. As a novel second-generation triazole antifungal drug offering both efficacy and safety, isavuconazole (ISA) is recommended by various guidelines internationally for the first-line treatment of invasive aspergillosis (IA) and invasive mucormycosis (IM) infecting adults. Given that it was only approved in China at the end of 2021, there is currently a lack of statistical data regarding its usage in the Chinese population. The primary objective of this report is to describe early experiences with ISA for the treatment of IFD. This was a real-world, multicenter, observational case series study conducted in China. It included patients from three centers who received ISA treatment from January 2022 to April 2023. A retrospective assessment on patient characteristics, variables related to ISA administration, the treatment response of IFD to ISA, and potential adverse events attributed to ISA was conducted. A total of 40 patients met the inclusion criteria. Among them, 12 (30%) were diagnosed with aspergillosis, 2 (5%) were diagnosed with candidiasis, 12 (30%) were diagnosed with mucormycosis, and 14 cases did not present mycological evidence. The predominant site of infection was the lungs (36), followed by the blood stream (8), sinuses (4), and respiratory tract (2). The overall response rate was 75% (30 patients), with male patients having a higher clinical response than female patients (24/24 versus 6/16, p = 0.000) and autologous stem cell transplant patients having a higher clinical response than allogeneic stem cell transplant patients (6/6 versus 4/10, p = 0.027). During the observation period, four patients experienced adverse effects associated with ISA, but none of them discontinued the treatment. Our findings suggest that ISA, a novel first-line treatment for IA and IM, is associated with a high clinical response rate, low incidence, and a low grade of adverse effects. Given the short time that ISA has been available in China, further research is needed to identify its efficacy and safety in the real world.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Invasive Aspergillosis Caused by Non-fumigatus Aspergillus spp.

With increasing frequency, clinical and laboratory-based mycologists are consulted on invasive fungal diseases caused by rare fungal species. This review aims to give an overview of the management of invasive aspergillosis (IA) caused by non-fumigatus Aspergillus spp.-namely A. flavus, A. terreus, A. niger and A. nidulans-including diagnostic and therapeutic differences and similarities to A. fumigatus. A. flavus is the second most common Aspergillus spp. isolated in patients with IA and the predominant species in subtropical regions. Treatment is complicated by its intrinsic resistance against amphotericin B (AmB) and high minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) for voriconazole. A. nidulans has been frequently isolated in patients with long-term immunosuppression, mostly in patients with primary immunodeficiencies such as chronic granulomatous disease. It has been reported to disseminate more often than other Aspergillus spp. Innate resistance against AmB has been suggested but not yet proven, while MICs seem to be elevated. A. niger is more frequently reported in less severe infections such as otomycosis. Triazoles exhibit varying MICs and are therefore not strictly recommended as first-line treatment for IA caused by A. niger, while patient outcome seems to be more favorable when compared to IA due to other Aspergillus species. A. terreus-related infections have been reported increasingly as the cause of acute and chronic aspergillosis. A recent prospective international multicenter surveillance study showed Spain, Austria, and Israel to be the countries with the highest density of A. terreus species complex isolates collected. This species complex seems to cause dissemination more often and is intrinsically resistant to AmB. Non-fumigatus aspergillosis is difficult to manage due to complex patient histories, varying infection sites and potential intrinsic resistances to antifungals. Future investigational efforts should aim at amplifying the knowledge on specific diagnostic measures and their on-site availability, as well as defining optimal treatment strategies and outcomes of non-fumigatus aspergillosis.

New Developments in Pediatric Antifungal Pharmacology.

New Developments in Pediatric Antifungal Pharmacology.

Isavuconazole for COVID-19-Associated Invasive Mold Infections.

Isavuconazole is a broad-spectrum antifungal drug recently approved as a first-line treatment for invasive aspergillosis and as a first or alternative treatment for mucormycosis. The purpose of this review was to report and discuss the use of isavuconazole for the treatment of COVID-19-associated aspergillosis (CAPA), and COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM). Among all studies which reported treatment of CAPA, approximately 10% of patients were reportedly treated with isavuconazole. Considering 14 identified studies that reported the use of isavuconazole for CAPA, isavuconazole was used in 40% of patients (95 of 235 treated patients), being first-line monotherapy in over half of them. We identified six studies that reported isavuconazole use in CAM, either alone or in combination therapy. Overall, isavuconazole was used as therapy in 13% of treated CAM patients, frequently as combination or sequential therapy. The use of isavuconazole in CAPA and CAM is complicated by the challenge of achieving adequate exposure in COVID-19 patients who are frequently obese and hospitalized in the ICU with concomitant renal replacement therapy (RRT) or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The presence of data on high efficacy in the treatment of aspergillosis, lower potential for drug–drug interactions (DDIs) and for subtherapeutic levels, and no risk of QT prolongation compared to other mold-active azoles, better safety profile than voriconazole, and the possibility of using an intravenous formulation in the case of renal failure are the advantages of using isavuconazole in this setting.

Invasive aspergillosis a complication severe respiratory viral infections (influenza and COVID-19)

Invasive aspergillosis is a life-threatening complication in patients with severe influenza and COVID-19 in intensive care units. Risk factors for the invasive aspergillosis development are transitory immunosuppression associated with severe influenza and COVID-19, as well as the use of glucocorticosteroids and immunosuppressive therapy. In the presence of risk factors, suspected clinical and radiological signs of invasive aspergillosis, bronchoscopy and examination of material from the lower respiratory tract are necessary: test for galactomannan, microscopy with white calcofluor staining and inoculation on Sabouraud agar medium. Voriconazole or are recommended as first-line treatment for invasive aspergillosis in patients with severe influenza and COVID-19. Amphotericin B Liposomal, Amphotericin B Lipid Complex, and Caspofungin are the alternative options for the invasive aspergillosis treatment. Combination therapy is possible. It is necessary to control the underlying disease with eliminate or reduce the severity of risk factors.

Improvement of the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationship in the treatment of invasive aspergillosis with voriconazole. Reduced drug toxicity through novel rapid release formulations

Voriconazole (VCZ) is currently the first-line treatment for invasive aspergillosis, although the doses are limited by its poor solubility and high hepatic toxicity. The aim of this study was to develop a solid self-dispersing micellar system of VCZ to improve the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) relationship and reduce hepatotoxicity. In this work, solid micellar systems of VCZ are formulated with different polysorbate 80 ratios using mannitol as a hydrophilic carrier. The novel micellar systems were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dissolution studies. Self-dispersing micellar systems reduced VCZ crystallinity, leading to an improvement in its dissolution rate. The in vitro susceptibility test also revealed that the most common microorganisms in invasive aspergillosis exhibited low minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for micellar systems. Pharmacokinetic studies indicated an improvement in bioavailability for MS-1:3:0.05, and changes in its biodistribution to different organs. MS-1:3:0.05 showed an increased concentration in lungs and a significant decrease in VCZ accumulated in the liver.

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Voriconazole in Children from a Tertiary Care Center in China.

Voriconazole is a broad-spectrum triazole antifungal and the first-line treatment for invasive aspergillosis (IA). The aim of this research was to study the dose adjustments of voriconazole as well as the affecting factors influencing voriconazole trough concentrations in Asian children to optimize its daily administration. Clinical data were analyzed of inpatients 2 to 14 years old who were subjected to voriconazole trough concentration monitoring from 1 June 2015 to 1 December 2017. A total of 138 voriconazole trough concentrations from 42 pediatric patients were included. Voriconazole trough concentrations at steady state ranged from 0.02 to 9.35 mg/liter, with high inter- and intraindividual variability. Only 50.0% of children achieved the target range (1.0 to 5.5 mg/liter) at initial dosing, while 35.7% of children were subtherapeutic, and 14.3% of children were supratherapeutic at initial dosing. There was no correlation between initial trough concentrations and initial dosing. A total of 28.6% of children (12/42) received an adjusted dose according to trough concentrations. Children <6, 6 to 12, and >12 years old required a median oral maintenance dose to achieve the target range of 11.1, 7.2, and 5.3 mg/kg twice daily, respectively (P = 0.043). The average doses required to achieved the target range were 7.7 mg/kg and 5.6 mg/kg, respectively, and were lower than the recommended dosage (P = 0.033 and 0.003, respectively). Affecting factors such as administration routes and coadministration with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) explained 55.3% of the variability in voriconazole exposure. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of voriconazole could help to individualize antifungal therapy for children and provide guidelines for TDM and dosing optimization in Asian children.

PIN114 - ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF VORICONAZOLE, COMPARED WITH AVAILABLE THERAPIES IN THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH INVASIVE ASPERGILLOSIS: A NETWORD META-ANALYSIS

Determine the efficacy and safety of voriconazole compared to other available antifungal therapies for first-line treatment of invasive aspergillosis (IA) in adults. A systematic review was performed to find randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared to antifungal therapies for the treatment of IA. The search was executed in MEDLINE, COCHRANE, EMBASE, LILACS and clinicaltrials.gov databases. RCT selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment according to Cochrane criteria were performed by two researchers independently. Outcomes of interest included global response, all-cause mortality, hepatoxicity, and nephrotoxicity. Bayesian analysis was used to perform the network meta-analysis (NMA) in order to execute indirect comparison of voriconazole to other antifungal therapies. Additionally, the quality of evidence was assessed using the GRADE methodology. The results were expressed in difference of risk (DR). We identified 2 RCTs, which compared voriconazole with amphotericin B deoxycolate (AmB), and AmB with Amphotericin B colloidal dispersion (AmBCD). Voriconazole was superior to AmpB in global response (DR -0.21, 95%CI -0.34 – (-0.07)), all-cause mortality (DR 0.13, 95%CrI 0.02-0.24) and nephrotoxicity (DR 0.09, 95%CI 0.05-0.14). In the case of AmBCD, there were differences which may be relevant clinically compared to voriconazole in the outcomes evaluated, however, they were not statistically significant. Voriconazole had the highest probability to be the best treatment in all outcomes except hepatoxicity. The heterogeneity in each analysis was low. The quality of the evidence was moderate to very low in the majority of the outcomes mainly due to risk of bias and imprecision. The NMA suggested that voriconazole was superior to AmB in terms of efficacy and safety. In the case of AmBCD, the comparison with voriconazole did not find statistical differences. There were limited numbers of RCTs for this systematic review.

Molecular Tools for the Detection and Deduction of Azole Antifungal Drug Resistance Phenotypes in Aspergillus Species.

The incidence of azole resistance in Aspergillus species has increased over the past years, most importantly for Aspergillus fumigatus. This is partially attributable to the global spread of only a few resistance alleles through the environment. Secondary resistance is a significant clinical concern, as invasive aspergillosis with drug-susceptible strains is already difficult to treat, and exclusion of azole-based antifungals from prophylaxis or first-line treatment of invasive aspergillosis in high-risk patients would dramatically limit drug choices, thus increasing mortality rates for immunocompromised patients. Management options for invasive aspergillosis caused by azole-resistant A. fumigatus strains were recently reevaluated by an international expert panel, which concluded that drug resistance testing of cultured isolates is highly indicated when antifungal therapy is intended. In geographical regions with a high environmental prevalence of azole-resistant strains, initial therapy should be guided by such analyses. More environmental and clinical screening studies are therefore needed to generate the local epidemiologic data if such measures are to be implemented on a sound basis. Here we propose a first workflow for evaluating isolates from screening studies, and we compile the MIC values correlating with individual amino acid substitutions in the products of cyp51 genes for interpretation of DNA sequencing data, especially in the absence of cultured isolates.

Pharmacodynamics of Voriconazole against Wild-Type and Azole-Resistant Aspergillus flavus Isolates in a Nonneutropenic Murine Model of Disseminated Aspergillosis.

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) due to Aspergillus flavus is associated with high mortality. Although voriconazole (VRC) is widely recommended as the first-line treatment for IA, emergence of azole resistance in Aspergillus spp. is translating to treatment failure. We evaluated the efficacy of voriconazole in a nonneutropenic murine model of disseminated A. flavus infection using two voriconazole-resistant isolates (one harboring the Y319H substitution in the cyp51C gene) and two wild-type isolates without mutations. All isolates exhibited a dose-response relationship, and voriconazole treatment improved mouse survival in a dose-dependent manner. At 40 mg/kg of body weight, 100% efficacy was observed for 1 susceptible isolate and 1 resistant isolate (with mutation), whereas for another susceptible isolate and resistant isolate (without mutation), survival rates were 81% and 72%, respectively. The Hill equation with a variable slope fitted the relationship between the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC)/MIC ratio and 14-day survival well for each strain. An F test showed the 50% effective doses to be significantly different from each other (P = 0.0023). However, contrary to expectation, there was a significant difference in exposure-response relationships between strains, and it appeared that the susceptible strains required a relatively higher exposure than the resistant ones to result in the same treatment effect, the 50% effective pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) index (EI50) required being negatively and log-linearly related to the MIC (P = 0.04). We conclude that the efficacy of voriconazole depended on drug exposure and the voriconazole MIC of the isolates, but lower exposures are required for strains with higher MICs. These findings may have profound significance in clinical practice with respect to dosing and drug choice.

ECIL-6 guidelines for the treatment of invasive candidiasis, aspergillosis and mucormycosis in leukemia and hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients.

The European Conference on Infections in Leukemia (ECIL) provides recommendations for diagnostic strategies and prophylactic, pre-emptive or targeted therapy strategies for various types of infection in patients with hematologic malignancies or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients. Meetings are held every two years since 2005 and evidence-based recommendations are elaborated after evaluation of the literature and discussion among specialists of nearly all European countries. In this manuscript, the ECIL group presents the 2015-update of the recommendations for the targeted treatment of invasive candidiasis, aspergillosis and mucormycosis. Current data now allow a very strong recommendation in favor of echinocandins for first-line therapy of candidemia irrespective of the underlying predisposing factors. Anidulafungin has been given the same grading as the other echinocandins for hemato-oncological patients. The beneficial role of catheter removal in candidemia is strengthened. Aspergillus guidelines now recommend the use of either voriconazole or isavuconazole for first-line treatment of invasive aspergillosis, while first-line combination antifungal therapy is not routinely recommended. As only few new data were published since the last ECIL guidelines, no major changes were made to mucormycosis recommendations.

Clinical evidence for caspofungin monotherapy in the first‐line and salvage therapy of invasive Aspergillus infections

In 2001, caspofungin received market authorisation by the FDA and EMA and is globally licensed for several indications, including candidiasis, empirical antifungal therapy in patients with neutropenic fever of unknown origin and treatment of invasive aspergillosis in patients refractory to or intolerant of amphotericin B, lipid formulations of amphotericin B or itraconazole. Despite the lack of phase III data in first-line treatment of invasive aspergillosis, increasing evidence supports the use of first-line therapy. Here, we analyse the evidence of therapeutic activity, represented by favourable response rates, of caspofungin for invasive aspergillosis. A systematic literature search was conducted to identify international presentations and papers reporting monotherapy with caspofungin. Efficacy data are summarised separately for first-line and salvage therapy. Thirty-one papers and published abstracts reported caspofungin therapy for aspergillosis. Fifteen full papers and two abstracts fulfilled the criteria of reporting significant outcome data for caspofungin monotherapy for invasive aspergillosis. Consistent with other analyses and the known safety profile, few adverse events and associated terminations of caspofungin medication have been reported. Although a randomised, comparative, prospective study using caspofungin in this indication is still lacking, growing evidence supports the efficacy of this echinocandin not only for salvage but also for first-line therapy.

The Aspergillus fumigatus cell wall integrity signaling pathway: drug target, compensatory pathways, and virulence.

Aspergillus fumigatus is the most important airborne fungal pathogen, causing severe infections with invasive growth in immunocompromised patients. The fungal cell wall (CW) prevents the cell from lysing and protects the fungus against environmental stress conditions. Because it is absent in humans and because of its essentiality, the fungal CW is a promising target for antifungal drugs. Nowadays, compounds acting on the CW, i.e., echinocandin derivatives, are used to treat A. fumigatus infections. However, studies demonstrating the clinical effectiveness of echinocandins in comparison with antifungals currently recommended for first-line treatment of invasive aspergillosis are still lacking. Therefore, it is important to elucidate CW biosynthesis pathways and their signal transduction cascades, which potentially compensate the inhibition caused by CW- perturbing compounds. Like in other fungi, the central core of the cell wall integrity (CWI) signaling pathway in A. fumigatus is composed of three mitogen activated protein kinases. Deletion of these genes resulted in severely enhanced sensitivity of the mutants against CW-disturbing compounds and in drastic alterations of the fungal morphology. Additionally, several cross-talk interactions between the CWI pathways and other signaling pathways are emerging, raising the question about their role in the CW compensatory mechanisms. In this review we focused on recent advances in understanding the CWI signaling pathway in A. fumigatus and its role during drug stress response and virulence.

Cost analysis of voriconazole versus liposomal amphotericin B for primary therapy of invasive aspergillosis among patients with haematological disorders in Germany and Spain.

BackgroundThe current healthcare climate demands pharmacoeconomic evaluations for different treatment strategies incorporating drug acquisition costs, costs incurred for hospitalisation, drug administration and preparation, diagnostic and laboratory testing and drug-related adverse events (AEs). Here we evaluate the pharmacoeconomics of voriconazole versus liposomal amphotericin B as first-line therapies for invasive aspergillosis (IA) in patients with haematological malignancy and prolonged neutropenia or who were undergoing haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation in Germany or Spain.MethodsA decision analytic model based on a decision tree was constructed to estimate the potential treatment costs of voriconazole versus liposomal amphotericin B. Each model pathway was defined by the probability of an event occurring and the costs of clinical outcomes. Outcome probabilities and cost inputs were derived from the published literature, clinical trials, expert panels and local database costs. In the base case, patients who failed to respond to first-line therapy were assumed to experience a single switch between comparator drugs or the other drug was added as second-line treatment. Base-case evaluation included only drug-management costs and additional hospitalisation costs due to severe AEs associated with first- and second-line therapies. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of the results. Cost estimates were inflated to 2011 euros (€).ResultsBased on clinical trial success rates of 52.8% (voriconazole) and 50.0% (liposomal amphotericin B), voriconazole had lower total treatment costs compared with liposomal amphotericin B in both Germany (€12,256 versus €18,133; length of therapy [LOT] = 10-day intravenous [IV] + 5-day oral voriconazole and 15-day IV liposomal amphotericin B) and Spain (€8,032 versus €10,516; LOT = 7-day IV + 8-day oral voriconazole and 15-day IV liposomal amphotericin B). Assuming the same efficacy (50.0%) in first-line therapy, voriconazole maintained a lower total treatment cost compared with liposomal amphotericin B. Cost savings were primarily due to the lower drug acquisition costs and shorter IV LOT associated with voriconazole. Sensitivity analyses showed that the results were sensitive to drug price, particularly the cost of liposomal amphotericin B.ConclusionsVoriconazole is likely to be cost-saving compared with liposomal amphotericin B when used as a first-line treatment for IA in Germany and Spain.

In vitro susceptibility to amphotericin B, itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole and caspofungin of Aspergillus spp. isolated from patients with haematological malignancies in Tunisia.

The resistance of Aspergillus species to antifungal is increasingly reported and the knowledge of the local epidemiology and antifungal susceptibility pattern is pivotal to define adequate treatment policies. Our study aimed to: 1) describe the in vitro antifungal susceptibility profile of the Aspergillus species isolated from patients with haematological malignancies in Tunisia; 2) compare the E-test and Sensititre Yeast-One assays for the detection of paradoxical growth and trailing effect, both phenotypes commonly exhibited by Aspergillus spp. upon exposure to caspofungin and 3) to evaluate the mortality rate in patients according to the causative Aspergillus species and the antifungal treatment.We tested amphotericin B, itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole and caspofungin against 48 Aspergillus isolates (17, A. niger; 18, A. flavus; 9, A. tubingensis; 1, A. westerdijkiae; and 1, A. ochraceus) with the E-test. Minimal inhibition concentrations were above the epidemiological cut-off values for amphotericin B in 67% of A. flavus strains; for caspofungin in 22% of A. flavus strains; and for itraconazole in 22% of A. tubingensis strains, voriconazole and posaconazole MICs were below the epidemiological cut-off values for all strains.When exposed to caspofungin, 42% of the strains exhibited trailing effect and 38% paradoxical growth. Trailing effect occurred in 61% of A. flavus strains and paradoxical growth in 62% of Aspergillus section Nigri strains. E-test and Sensititre Yeast-One assays were only fairly concordant for the detection of these phenotypes. Repeatability of both assays was high for trailing effect but poor for paradoxical growth. The relatively high frequency of amphotericin B resistant strains makes voriconazole best adapted as a first-line treatment of invasive aspergillosis from amphotericin B to voriconazole in this hospital.

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Voriconazole in Children

Voriconazole is an extended-spectrum triazole antifungal with activity against a wide variety of pathogens, including Aspergillus, Candida, Cryptococcus neoformans, Fusarium, and Scedosporium. It exerts its antifungal activity by blocking the synthesis of fungal cell membranes and is considered the first-line treatment for invasive aspergillosis. Because the pharmacokinetics of voriconazole can demonstrate considerable variability, it has been suggested that monitoring plasma levels of voriconazole may play an important role in optimizing the efficacy and safety of the drug in complex patients like those at risk of or who have invasive aspergillosis. In this article, we review the criteria for therapeutic drug monitoring and assess the evidence for using plasma voriconazole concentrations to individualize doses in children.

Phase II Dose Escalation Study of Caspofungin for Invasive Aspergillosis

Our objective was to evaluate the maximum tolerated dose of caspofungin for invasive aspergillosis (IA). The safety and pharmacokinetics of escalating dosages of caspofungin were investigated in IA. Eight patients each received caspofungin 70, 100, 150, or 200 mg once a day (QD). Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was defined as the same non-hematological treatment-related adverse event of grade ≥ 4 in 2 of 8 patients or ≥ 3 in 4 of 8 patients in a cohort. A total of 46 patients (median age, 61 years; 21 female; 89% with hematological malignancies) received caspofungin (9, 8, 9, and 20 patients in the 70-, 100-, 150-, and 200-mg cohorts) for a median of 24.5 days. Plasma pharmacokinetics were linear across the investigated dosages and followed a two-compartment model, with weight as the covariate on clearance and sex as the covariate on central volume of distribution. Simulated peak plasma concentrations at steady state ranged from 14.2 to 40.6 mg/liter (28%), trough concentrations from 4.1 to 11.8 mg/liter (58%), and area under the concentration-time curve from 175 to 500 mg/liter/h (32%) (geometric mean, geometric coefficient of variation). Treatment was well tolerated without dose-limiting toxicity. The rate of complete or partial responses was 54.3%, and the overall mortality at 12-week follow-up was 28.3%. In first-line treatment of invasive aspergillosis, daily doses of up to 200 mg caspofungin were well tolerated and the maximum tolerated dose was not reached. Pharmacokinetics was linear. Response rates were similar to those previously reported for voriconazole and liposomal amphotericin.