Antifungals: what's in the pipeline
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Updated: Oct 4, 2026

Quantifying the Antifungal Activity of Peptides Against Candida albicans
Published on: January 13, 2023
1Merck Research Laboratories, PO Box 2000/R80Y-215, Rahway, NJ 07065, USA. jan_tkacz@merck.com
Abstract:
The therapeutic landscape for mycotic infections is shifting. New generation azoles that are active against clinically relevant, drug-resistant fungal pathogens have improved bioavailability, half-lives and safety profiles. Acylated cyclic peptide inhibitors of beta(1,3)glucan synthesis with origins as fungal metabolites provide an alternative and highly-selective mode of action, targeting cell-wall biogenesis in important pathogens such as Candida and Aspergillus species. The development, in each structural class, of compounds that have advanced to late-stage clinical trials is summarized in this review.
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