Drug repurposing against Candida auris: A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Mycology
• Infectious Diseases
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Candida auris is a multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen causing significant public health concerns.
• Limited antifungal drug options complicate the treatment of C. auris infections.
• Drug repurposing presents a viable strategy to identify novel therapeutic agents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and identify non-antifungal drugs with demonstrated antifungal activity against Candida auris.
• To evaluate the efficacy of repurposed drugs against both planktonic and biofilm forms of C. auris.
• To highlight promising drug candidates for combating C. auris infections.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar up to November 1, 2021.
• Eligible studies reporting antifungal activity of non-antifungal drugs against C. auris were included.
• Data on drug efficacy against planktonic and biofilm forms were extracted and analyzed.

Main Results:

• Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria, identifying 22 drugs/compounds against planktonic C. auris and 12 against biofilm forms.
• Antiparasitic drugs, notably miltefosine, were most frequently reported for both forms.
• Anticancer and anti-inflammatory drugs also showed significant activity against C. auris planktonic and biofilm states, respectively.

Conclusions:

• Drug repurposing is an effective approach for discovering new treatments against drug-resistant Candida auris.
• Repurposed drugs, including antiparasitic, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory agents, show potential as alternatives to conventional antifungals.
• Further research into these repurposed agents could lead to novel therapeutic strategies for C. auris infections.