Antifungals: what's in the pipeline

Abstract

The therapeutic landscape for mycotic infections is shifting. New generation azoles that are active against clinically relevant, drug-resistant fungal pathogens have improved bioavailability, half-lives and safety profiles. Acylated cyclic peptide inhibitors of beta(1,3)glucan synthesis with origins as fungal metabolites provide an alternative and highly-selective mode of action, targeting cell-wall biogenesis in important pathogens such as Candida and Aspergillus species. The development, in each structural class, of compounds that have advanced to late-stage clinical trials is summarized in this review.