Posaconazole: a broad-spectrum triazole antifungal.

Posaconazale is a new triazole drug being investigated in phase III clinical trials for the treatment and prevention of invasive fungal infections. In-vitro and in-vivo studies showed that posaconazole has broad-spectrum activity against most Candida species, Cryptococcus neoformans, Aspergillus species, Fusarium species, zygomycetes, and endemic fungi. Posaconazole is given orally two to four times daily. This triazole is widely distributed in the body, metabolised mainly by the liver, and is well tolerated, even in long-term courses. Adverse events are generally mild and include headache and gastrointestinal complaints. Posaconazole has shown promising clinical efficacy against life-threatening fungal infections that are often refractory to the currently available antifungal therapies-eg, invasive aspergillosis, fusariosis, and the emerging zygomycosis.