In vitro activity of olorofim against clinical isolates of Scedosporium species and Lomentospora prolificans using EUCAST and CLSI methodologies

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the in vitro activity of olorofim, a new broad-spectrum antifungal with a novel mechanism of action, against a collection of 123 Spanish clinical isolates belonging to five Scedosporium species and Lomentospora prolificans.

Methods: The activity of olorofim against Scedosporium apiospermum (n = 30), Scedosporium boydii (n = 30), Scedosporium ellipsoideum (n = 10), Scedosporium aurantiacum (n = 20), Scedosporium dehoogii (n = 3) and Lomentospora prolificans (n = 30) was compared with that of amphotericin B, voriconazole, isavuconazole and micafungin by performing EUCAST and CLSI reference methods for antifungal susceptibility testing.

Results: Amphotericin B and isavuconazole showed MICs ≥2 mg/L for all the species evaluated and voriconazole was moderately active (GM, MIC50 and MIC90 values ≤2 mg/L) against all of them except L. prolificans. Micafungin was effective against S. apiospermum complex strains, but exhibited elevated MECs for S. dehoogii and S. aurantiacum. Olorofim showed low MICs for all the Scedosporium strains tested (GM values were lower than 0.130 and 0.339 by the EUCAST method and the CLSI method, respectively, for all of the species), including those belonging to the MDR species L. prolificans, for which GM values were 0.115 and 0.225 mg/L by the EUCAST method and the CLSI method, respectively, while the GMs for the rest of the antifungals evaluated were higher than 3.732 mg/L using both methodologies.

Conclusions: Olorofim displayed promising in vitro activity against the Scedosporium and L. prolificans strains tested, some of which have reduced susceptibility to the antifungals that are currently in use.