Isavuconazole Is Effective for the Treatment of Experimental Cryptococcal Meningitis

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2016 Aug 22;60(9):5600-3. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00229-16. Print 2016 Sep.

Abstract

We evaluated the efficacy of isavuconazole against cryptococcal meningitis. Treatment with either oral isavuconazole (120 mg/kg and 240 mg/kg twice a day [BID]) or fluconazole as the positive control significantly improved survival in mice infected intracranially with either Cryptococcus neoformans USC1597 or H99 and significantly reduced brain fungal burdens for both isolates. Concentrations of isavuconazole in plasma and brain tissue also demonstrated that the greatest improvements in survival and fungal burden were associated with elevated exposures.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Brain / microbiology
  • Cryptococcus neoformans / drug effects
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Meningitis, Cryptococcal / drug therapy*
  • Meningitis, Cryptococcal / microbiology
  • Mice
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Nitriles / pharmacology*
  • Pyridines / pharmacology*
  • Triazoles / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Nitriles
  • Pyridines
  • Triazoles
  • isavuconazole

Grants and funding

Isavuconazonium sulfate and isavuconazole powders were provided by Basilea.