Rezafungin

Description

Rezafungin is a novel, once-weekly antifungal being developed for the treatment and prevention of serious fungal infections.Rezafungin is a member of the echinocandin class of drugs. Echinocandins are considered the safest antifungal drugs available and are suggested by the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) as first-line treatment for fungal infections.

Uses

Rezafungin (CD-101) is a second generation echinocandin with a similar spectrum and mechanism of action. Along with fosmanogepix, ibrexafungerp, olorofim, and opelconazole, rezafungin heralds a new era in the treatment of fungal infections.

Side effects

Adverse effects associated with the use of Rezzayo may include, but are not limited to, the following: hypokalemia, pyrexia, diarrhea, anemia, vomiting, nausea, hypomagnesemia, abdominal pain, constipation, and hypophosphatemia.

Mechanism of action

Rezafungin is a semi-synthetic echinocandin. Rezafungin inhibits the 1,3-B-D-glucan synthase enzyme complex, which is present in fungal cell walls but not in mammalian cells. This results in the inhibition of the formation of 1,3-B-D-glucan, an essential component of the fungal cell wall of many fungi, including Candida species (spp.). Inhibition of 1,3-B-D-glucan synthesis results in concentration-dependent in vitro fungicidal activity against Candida spp., however, the clinical significance of this activity is unknown.

References

[1] Syed, Yahiya Y. “Rezafungin: First Approval.” Drugs 83 9 (2023): 833–840.
[2] Desnos-Ollivier, Marie and Fanny Lanternier. “New antifungals development: rezafungin in candidiasis treatment.” Lancet Infectious Diseases 22 3 (2023).