Pianalto Kaila M, Alspaugh J Andrew
Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Department of Medicine/Infectious Diseases, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
J Fungi (Basel). 2016 Oct 2;2(4):26. doi: 10.3390/jof2040026.
Recent investigations have yielded both profound insights into the mechanisms required by pathogenic fungi for virulence within the human host, as well as novel potential targets for antifungal therapeutics. Some of these studies have resulted in the identification of novel compounds that act against these pathways and also demonstrate potent antifungal activity. However, considerable effort is required to move from pre-clinical compound testing to true clinical trials, a necessary step toward ultimately bringing new drugs to market. The rising incidence of invasive fungal infections mandates continued efforts to identify new strategies for antifungal therapy. Moreover, these life-threatening infections often occur in our most vulnerable patient populations. In addition to finding completely novel antifungal compounds, there is also a renewed effort to redirect existing drugs for use as antifungal agents. Several recent screens have identified potent antifungal activity in compounds previously indicated for other uses in humans. Together, the combined efforts of academic investigators and the pharmaceutical industry is resulting in exciting new possibilities for the treatment of invasive fungal infections.
最近的研究既对致病真菌在人类宿主中致病所需的机制有了深刻认识，也为抗真菌治疗提供了新的潜在靶点。其中一些研究已鉴定出作用于这些途径且具有强大抗真菌活性的新型化合物。然而，从临床前化合物测试到真正的临床试验仍需付出巨大努力，而这是最终将新药推向市场的必要步骤。侵袭性真菌感染发病率的上升促使人们继续努力寻找抗真菌治疗的新策略。此外，这些危及生命的感染往往发生在我们最脆弱的患者群体中。除了寻找全新的抗真菌化合物外，人们还重新致力于将现有药物重新用作抗真菌剂。最近的几项筛选已在先前用于人类其他用途的化合物中发现了强大的抗真菌活性。学术研究人员和制药行业的共同努力正在为侵袭性真菌感染的治疗带来令人兴奋的新可能性。
