Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 29, 2026

A Novel High-Throughput Ex Vivo Ovine Skin Wound Model for Testing Emerging Antibiotics
08:30

A Novel High-Throughput Ex Vivo Ovine Skin Wound Model for Testing Emerging Antibiotics

Published on: September 16, 2022

Oritavancin for skin infections

David Leif Anderson1

  • 1Medical Information Department, Prous Science, Barcelona, Spain. leifanderson@aol.com

Drugs of Today (Barcelona, Spain : 1998)
|October 11, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Oritavancin is a potent lipoglycopeptide effective against Gram-positive bacteria, including MRSA. Its unique properties offer a promising treatment for serious infections, potentially requiring only a single dose.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Oritavancin (LY-333328) is a lipoglycopeptide antibiotic.
  • It targets serious Gram-positive bacterial infections, notably MRSA and complicated skin/soft tissue infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of oritavancin's clinical data.
  • To highlight key features relevant to treating resistant Gram-positive infections.

Main Methods:

  • Review of publicly available data.
  • Inclusion of data presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease (April 2008).

Main Results:

  • Oritavancin exhibits multiple mechanisms of action and broad-spectrum potency against Gram-positive pathogens.
  • It demonstrates bactericidal activity, a long postantibiotic effect, and efficacy against stationary-phase bacteria and biofilms.
  • The drug has a long half-life, enabling infrequent dosing, potentially a single-dose regimen.
  • Clinical efficacy and safety data are documented.

Conclusions:

  • Oritavancin presents several advantageous features for treating resistant Gram-positive infections.
  • Its characteristics suggest it as a valuable therapeutic option, with potential for single-dose administration.

Related Concept Videos

Staphylococcal Skin Infections01:29

Staphylococcal Skin Infections

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive coccus that resides harmlessly on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy individuals. When the skin barrier is breached, it can shift from a commensal to an opportunistic pathogen. This transition is facilitated by surface adhesins, such as clumping factor B and S. aureus surface protein G (SasG), which bind to structural proteins, including loricrin and cytokeratin, in the damaged epidermis. Protein A, another key factor, binds the Fc region of...
Acne Infection01:27

Acne Infection

Acne is a multifactorial skin condition primarily affecting adolescents and young adults, with a global prevalence estimated to exceed 75% in this demographic. The condition is characterized by the formation of comedones (blackheads and whiteheads), papules, pustules, nodules, and, in severe cases, cysts, particularly in areas rich in sebaceous glands such as the face, neck, chest, and back. The pathogenesis involves increased sebum production, follicular hyperkeratinization, colonization by...
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...
Skin Diseases and Disorders01:23

Skin Diseases and Disorders

Skin is the first line of defense and encounters a variety of microbes. Some pathogenic strains are often the cause of a broad range of infections of the skin and other body systems. These conditions can affect people of all ages and may have different causes, including genetic factors, infections, autoimmune reactions, environmental factors, and lifestyle choices.
Gram-positive Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. are responsible for many of the most common skin infections. However, many...
Skin Cancer01:30

Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is a type of cancer that occurs when there is an abnormal growth of skin cells, usually triggered by damage to the DNA within the skin cells. It is primarily caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or artificial sources like tanning beds. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer worldwide, and its incidence continues to rise.
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC): BCC is the most common type of skin cancer, accounting for about 80% of cases. It typically develops in...
Antimicrobial Effectiveness01:28

Antimicrobial Effectiveness

The effectiveness of antimicrobial agents depends on various factors influencing their ability to eliminate microbial populations. Larger microbial populations require more time for complete eradication, emphasizing the importance of population size analysis when evaluating antimicrobial efficacy.Microbial resistance to antimicrobial agents varies significantly. Highly resilient microorganisms include endospores, gram-negative bacteria, and non-enveloped viruses, while prions are exceptionally...