Aspiring Antifungals: Review of Current Antifungal Pipeline Developments

Gintjee, Thomas; Donnelley, Monica; Thompson, George

doi:10.3390/jof6010028

Cited by 225Antifungal resistance and susceptibilityFungal Plant Pathogen ControlFungal Infections and Studies

Aspiring Antifungals: Review of Current Antifungal Pipeline Developments

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Gintjee, Thomas, Donnelley, Monica, Thompson, George·2020·Journal of Fungi

DOI 10.3390/jof6010028PMC PMC7151215

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Abstract

Invasive fungal infections are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, and their management is restricted to a variety of agents from five established classes of antifungal medication. In practice, existing antifungal agents are often constrained by dose-limiting toxicities, drug interactions, and the routes of administration. An increasing prevalence of invasive fungal infections along with rising rates of resistance and the practical limitations of existing agents has created a demand for the development of new antifungals, particularly those with novel mechanisms of action. This article reviews antifungal agents currently in various stages of clinical development. New additions to existing antifungal classes will be discussed, including SUBA-itraconazole, a highly bioavailable azole, and amphotericin B cochleate, an oral amphotericin formulation, as well as rezafungin, a long-acting echinocandin capable of once-weekly administration. Additionally, novel first-in-class agents such as ibrexafungerp, an oral glucan synthase inhibitor with activity against various resistant fungal isolates, and olorofim, a pyrimidine synthesis inhibitor with a broad spectrum of activity and oral formulation, will be reviewed. Various other innovative antifungal agents and classes, including MGCD290, tetrazoles, and fosmanogepix, will also be examined.

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Advanced-stage investigational drugs, including IBX, VT-1161, and RZF, have emerged to address multidrug-resistant and pan-resistant Candida species.
“The rise of MDR and pan-resistant Candida species has been met with advanced stage investigational agents such as IBX, VT-1161, and RZF.”
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Authors: Gintjee, T., Donnelley, M., & Thompson, G.
Affiliations: University of California, Davis (US)
Touro University California (US)
Corresponding author: Thompson, George
ORCID: Gintjee, Thomas
Donnelley, Monica
Thompson, George
Venue: Journal of Fungi
Publisher: MDPI AG
Published: 2020-02-25
Volume: 6
Issue: 1
Pages: 28
ISSN: 2309-608X (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.3390/jof6010028
PMC: PMC7151215
OpenAlex: W3006793634
Cited by: 225
References: 43
Citations by year: 2026: 12 · 2025: 29 · 2024: 33 · 2023: 33 · 2022: 48 · 2021: 49 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1
FWCI: 1.77
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: gold
dx.doi.org
Licence: cc-by
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (vor)
Locations: Journal of Fungi (publishedVersion, cc-by)
PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Touro Scholar (Touro College) (submittedVersion)
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Topics: Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Antifungal resistance and susceptibility
Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Fungal Plant Pathogen Control
Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Fungal Infections and Studies
Keywords: antifungal agents, antifungal drug development, invasive fungal infections, rezafungin, echinocandins, ibrexafungerp, olorofim, tetrazoles, fosmanogepix, antifungal resistance, novel mechanism of action

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Aspiring Antifungals: Review of Current Antifungal Pipeline Developments

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