Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 16, 2026

Broth Microdilution In Vitro Screening: An Easy and Fast Method to Detect New Antifungal Compounds
08:54

Broth Microdilution In Vitro Screening: An Easy and Fast Method to Detect New Antifungal Compounds

Published on: February 14, 2018

Newer treatments for fungal infections

Katherine M Knapp1, Patricia M Flynn

  • 1Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis,TN 38105, USA. katherine.knapp@stjude.org

The Journal of Supportive Oncology
|August 12, 2005
PubMed

Insights

New antifungal drugs offer improved treatment for invasive fungal infections in cancer patients. These agents combat resistant fungal strains and provide better safety profiles, addressing a critical unmet need.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Mycology
  • Oncology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) pose a significant threat to immunocompromised cancer patients, leading to high morbidity and mortality.
  • Limited treatment options and the rise of resistant fungal isolates underscore the urgent need for novel antifungal agents.
  • Antifungal drug development has historically been slow, with few new systemic agents approved over several decades.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advancements in systemic antifungal therapies for cancer patients.
  • To discuss the clinical utility and management strategies of newly approved and investigational antifungal agents.
  • To highlight the improved efficacy and safety profiles of newer antifungal drugs.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recently approved systemic antifungal agents since 1995.
  • Description of three lipid formulations of amphotericin B.
  • Introduction of second-generation triazoles and echinocandins with novel mechanisms of action.

Main Results:

  • Six new systemic antifungal agents have been approved since 1995.
  • Newer agents include lipid formulations of amphotericin B, second-generation triazoles, and echinocandins.
  • These agents demonstrate improved tolerability, safety, and broader coverage against resistant and uncommon fungi.

Conclusions:

  • Recent advancements have expanded the armamentarium against invasive fungal infections in cancer patients.
  • Newer antifungal drugs offer better outcomes and management options for challenging fungal infections.
  • Ongoing development promises further improvements in treating invasive fungal infections in this vulnerable population.

More Related Videos

Bio-energetics Investigation of Candida albicans Using Real-time Extracellular Flux Analysis08:48

Bio-energetics Investigation of Candida albicans Using Real-time Extracellular Flux Analysis

Published on: March 19, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Antifungal Agents01:15

Antifungal Agents

Amphotericin B is a broad-spectrum antifungal agent that exploits structural differences between fungal and mammalian cell membranes. Its amphipathic structure—featuring a hydrophobic polyene-lactone ring and a hydrophilic region containing mycosamine and carboxylic acid groups—enables selective binding to ergosterol, a sterol predominantly found in fungal plasma membranes. This selective interaction underlies the drug’s antifungal activity, although weak binding to cholesterol contributes to...
Cryptococcal Meningitis01:27

Cryptococcal Meningitis

Cryptococcal meningitis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection predominantly associated with HIV/AIDS, accounting for over 100,000 deaths annually worldwide. However, it also affects individuals with other forms of immunosuppression, including those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, organ transplant recipients, patients with innate immunodeficiencies, and individuals with hematological disorders. The infection is caused mainly by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii,...
Anthelminthic Agents01:15

Anthelminthic Agents

Anthelmintic drugs differ significantly from antiparasitic therapies targeting protozoa, primarily due to differences in parasite biology. Whereas most protozoal treatments act on proliferating cells, anthelmintics are typically directed against mature, nonproliferative helminths. The therapeutic approach considers the helminth's reliance on neuromuscular coordination, glucose metabolism, and microtubular integrity for survival, reproduction, and localization within the host. Most anthelmintics...
Fungal Phylum Microsporidia01:28

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia

Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...
Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism01:27

Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism

Synergism is a useful mechanism where combining two or more drugs is more effective than each constituent used alone. Such combinations are also called supra-additive interactions. The drugs collectively enhance the final therapeutic effect by acting on different targets. Another advantage is that the low dose of each constituent drug is sufficient to achieve the desired effect. This helps reduce the duration of therapy and lower the adverse effects of these drugs.
Such synergistic combinations...
Candidiasis01:20

Candidiasis

Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by opportunistic species of Candida. It can affect various anatomical sites, including the skin, oral cavity, nails, and genitourinary tract. Among its forms, vaginal candidiasis is the most common type of mucosal infection. It typically results from the overgrowth of Candida albicans in the vaginal mucosa. Under normal conditions, C. albicans exists as a commensal organism within the vaginal microbiota, regulated by the dominance of lactobacilli, which...