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Caspofungin

FDA approved · Rx

Echinocandin antifungal

Also known as: Cancidas, Caspofungin Acetate, caspofungine, Caspofungina, L-743872, L-743,872, L 743872, caspofunginum

Evidence score
95/ 100
Strong evidence

Strong, human-grade evidence

  • Regulatory standing. FDA-approved prescription medicine
  • Human trials. Backed by controlled human studies
  • Registered human trials. 90 registered studies on ClinicalTrials.gov, most advanced Phase 4
  • 2 cited sources. Includes primary / regulatory sources

Computed with the same four public criteria as every profile. The human-evidence grade on an indexed profile is set automatically and may change when it is hand-reviewed. It is not a safety score, not a purity rating, and not medical advice, and not a claim that this compound treats, cures, or prevents any condition.

What it is

Caspofungin is a semisynthetic lipopeptide antifungal from the echinocandin class, sold under the brand name Cancidas and as generic caspofungin acetate. It works by blocking the enzyme 1,3-beta-D-glucan synthase, which fungi need to build their cell walls, weakening the wall and leading to fungal cell damage.

What the evidence shows

Automatic summaryHuman trials

Caspofungin is FDA-approved for treating certain serious fungal infections, including candidemia and other Candida infections, esophageal candidiasis, invasive aspergillosis in patients who do not respond to or tolerate other therapies, and suspected fungal infections in febrile neutropenic patients. It has an extensive human evidence base, with about 90 registered trials reaching Phase 4 and over 4,000 published papers.

Key facts

Molecular formula
C52H88N10O15
Molecular weight
1093.3 g/mol
FDA approval
Confirmed on openFDA

Registered human trials

Live from ClinicalTrials.gov, refreshed daily.

90registered studies
Phase 4most advanced phase
58completed (sample)
4recruiting (sample)

Antimycotic Prophylaxis in Pediatric Patients Following Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

CompletedNCT01040156

Study of Innate Host Immune Response to C. Glabrata Clinical Isolates Resistant to Echinocandins: Impact on the Management of Candidemia in High-risk Patients

UnknownNCT03652194

Trial of Two Dosing Regimens of Micafungin Versus Caspofungin for the Treatment of Esophageal Candidiasis

Phase 3CompletedNCT00665639

A Study of Caspofungin, Liposomal Amphotericin B or the Combination of Both for Patients After Stem-Cell Transplantation

Phase 2CompletedNCT00148148

Published literature

Live from Europe PMC. This is how much has been published, not how much is proven in humans.

4,224papers referencing Caspofungin

Comparison of caspofungin and amphotericin B for invasive candidiasis.

N Engl J Med2002

Echinocandin antifungal drugs.

Lancet2003

Twenty Years of the SENTRY Antifungal Surveillance Program: Results for <i>Candida</i> Species From 1997-2016.

Open Forum Infect Dis2019

Increasing echinocandin resistance in Candida glabrata: clinical failure correlates with presence of FKS mutations and elevated minimum inhibitory concentrations.

Clin Infect Dis2013

Sources

Risks, side effects and study doses are only published on hand-reviewed profiles. Want this one reviewed, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.