This experimental antifungal has been found to be as potent as voriconazole, an existing drug that is used in the treatment of protruding mold disease. However, isavucaonazole has been found out to have less harmful side effects in cancer patients.
The major root of anguish and death for cancer patients with hematological malignancies are protruding fungal illnesses. Many patients with lymphoma and leukemia undergo high prescription of chemotherapy, which compromises the patient's immune system. Add to this the instances where a patient also needs to undergo stem cell transplantation, which further's the downtime of the patients immunity.
A few hundred types of fungi of genus Aspergillus are everywhere that may not be threats to healthy immune systems of people. However, to those patients that are unable to develop a normal immune response like cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy are more likely to be defenseless to infection.
For these individuals, the experimental drug isavucaonozole poses a great relief. In a recent study by researchers at the Julius Maximilians University of Wuerzburg, the trial antifungal was compared to voriconzole - a current treatment antifungal used in cancer patients who have contacted protruding mold disease.
After the study, a spokesperson for the university and the researchers released a statement saying that "the efficacy of isavuconazole is the same with voriconazole for treating protruding fungal disease. Isavuconazole also has outstandingly minimal adverse effects than voriconazole."
After a clinical trial, Kieren Marr of Johns Hopkins University also commented that isavucaonazole, indeed has fewer side effects compared to voriconazole especially in the eye, skin, and Hepatobiliary (liver, gall bladder, and bile duct) organ classes. Furthermore, Marr adds that looking at the data from the clinical trial the experimental antifungal indeed poses a very potent help to mold disease- stricken cancer patients.
Astellas and Basilea Pharmaceutica International Ltd. developed isavuconazole as an examination once a day drip and oral extensive spectrum of antifungal for the medication of dangerous prudent fungal infections.