The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of miltefosine (Impavido) for the treatment of invasive candidiasis, a rare bloodstream infection.
Invasive candidiasis, or systemic candidiasis, is the most serious form of candidiasis. This rare infection can affect the blood, heart, central nervous system, eyes, bones, kidneys, liver, and/or spleen, and is most often seen in individuals with compromised immune systems. Additionally, invasive candidiasis is notoriously resistant to treatment with antifungal medications previously available including echinocandin, fluconazole, and amphotericin B.
According to a recent press release, miltefosine was approved in 2013 for the treatment of leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease. The most common forms of leishmaniasis are cutaneous leishmaniasis, which causes skin sores, and visceral leishmaniasis, which affects several internal organs (usually spleen, liver, and bone marrow).
Miltefosine also approved for the treatment of primary amebic meningoencephalitis, granulomatous amebic encephalitis, and acanthamoeba keratitis.
To stay up to date with the latest developments in rare disease, follow up on Twitter @CheckRare
Reference
Systemic Candidiasis. Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD). Updated 24 Dec 2020. Retrieved from https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/1076/systemic-candidiasis
