Clinical data | |
---|---|
Pronunciation | KAS-poe-FUN-jin |
Trade names | Cancidas |
AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
License data |
|
Pregnancy category |
|
Routes of administration |
Intravenous |
ATC code | J02AX04 (WHO) |
Legal status | |
Legal status |
|
Pharmacokinetic data | |
Bioavailability | 100% (intravenous use only) |
Protein binding | ~97% |
Metabolism | Hepatic |
Biological half-life | 9–11 hours |
Excretion | Urine (41%), feces (35%) |
Identifiers | |
|
|
Synonyms |
(4R,5S)-5-[(2-Aminoethyl)amino]-N2-(10,12-dimethyltetradecanoyl)- |
CAS Number | 179463-17-3 |
PubChem (CID) | 468682 |
DrugBank | DB00520 |
ChemSpider | 13180298 |
UNII | VUW370O5QE |
KEGG | D07626 |
ChEBI | CHEBI:474180 |
ChEMBL | CHEMBL499808 |
Chemical and physical data | |
Formula | C52H88N10O15 |
Molar mass | 1093.31 g/mol |
3D model (Jmol) | Interactive image |
|
|
|
|
(what is this?) |
(4R,5S)-5-[(2-Aminoethyl)amino]-N2-(10,12-dimethyltetradecanoyl)-
4-hydroxy-L-ornithyl-L-threonyl-trans-4-hydroxy-L-prolyl-(S)-4-hydroxy-4-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-L-threonyl-threo-3-hydroxy-L-ornithyl-trans-3-hydroxy-L-proline cyclic (6→1)-peptide
Caspofungin (INN) (brand name Cancidas worldwide) is a lipopeptide antifungal drug from Merck & Co., Inc. discovered by James Balkovec, Regina Black and Frances A. Bouffard. It is a member of a new class of antifungals termed the echinocandins. It works by inhibiting the enzyme (1→3)-β-D-glucan synthase and thereby disturbing the integrity of the fungal cell wall. Caspofungin was the first inhibitor of fungal (1→3)-β-D-glucan synthesis to be approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Caspofungin is administered intravenously.
Caspofungin has been effective in treating fungal infections caused by Aspergillus and Candida species. The following represents MIC susceptibility for a few medically significant organisms.
Caspofungin acetate for injection was originally approved by both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in the U.S., and the EMEA, in Europe, in 2001.
Its currently approved therapeutic indications by both organisations include the empirical therapy of presumed fungal infections in febrile, neutropenic adult patients and for salvage therapy in patients treatment of invasive aspergillosis in adult patients whose disease is refractory to, or who are intolerant of, other antifungal agents (i.e., conventional or lipid formulations of amphotericin B and/or itraconazole). Additionally, the FDA approval includes indication for the treatment of candidemia and some specific Candida infections (intra-abdominal abscesses, peritonitis, pleural cavity infections, and esophagitis) and the EMEA approval includes indication for the treatment of general invasive candidiasis in adult patients.