Summary:
The present review paper deals with novel antifungal drugs. The lack of new antifungal drugs
ascends proportionally to the increasing occurrence of serious infections caused by yeast and fungi
mainly at immunocompromised or in other way sensitive patients. The topical state of pharmacotherapy
is briefly drawn out; most attention is given to newly developed active entities. Established
agents do not satisfy the medical need completely, azoles are fungistatic and vulnerable to resistance,
whereas polyenes cause serious host toxicity. Drugs in clinical development include modified azoles
and a new class of echinocandins and pneumocandins. Other promising novel agents in preclinical
development include several inhibitors of fungal protein, lipid and cell wall syntheses.
Key words:
antimycotics – polyens – azols – echinocandins – sordarins
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