SUPERIOR EFFICACY OF LIPOSOMAL AMPHOTERICIN-B WITH PROLONGED CIRCULATION IN BLOOD IN THE TREATMENT OF SEVERE CANDIDIASIS IN LEUKOPENIC MICE

In leukopenic mice with severe systemic candidiasis, single-dose treat ment (5 mg of amphotericin B [AMB]/kg of body weight) with long-circul ating polyethylene glycol-coated AMB liposomes (PEG-AMB-LIP) resulted in zero mortality and a significant reduction in the number of viable Candida albicans in the kidney, whereas 70% mortality was seen in mice treated with five daily doses of AmBisome (5 mg of AMB/kg.day). When the first of five daily doses of AmBisome was combined with a single l ow dose of Fungizone (0.1 mg of AMB/kg), the efficacy was equal to tha t of PEG-AMB-LIP.