Activities of an Intravenous Formulation of Itraconazole in Experimental Disseminated Aspergillus, Candida, and Cryptococcus Infections

An intravenous (i.v.) formulation of itraconazole was evaluated in disseminated fungal infection models in guinea pigs. In acute disseminated Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus infections, treatment at 5 mg/kg of body weight twice a day (b.i.d.) significantly prolonged survival. In these models and in animals with chronic disseminated cryptococcosis, itraconazole given i.v. at 2.5 and 5 mg/kg b.i.d. greatly reduced the proportions of organs with culture-detectable fungal burdens. The efficacy of i.v. itraconazole in these animal models justifies its further investigation for the treatment of life-threatening mycoses in humans.