Treatment of invasive fungal infections with amphotericin B colloidal dispersion in bone marrow transplant recipients

Amphotericin B colloidal dispersion (ABCD, AMPHOTEC, AMPHOCIL), a lipid complex of amphotericin B, was developed to reduce the nephrotoxicity of amphotericin B while retaining its antifungal efficacy. In this retrospective review, the efficacy and safety of ABCD were evaluated in 220 BMT recipients (167 allogeneic; 53 autologous) with suspected or documented life-threatening fungal infections (primarily Candida or Aspergillus species). Patients were treated in five open-label clinical trials of ABCD therapy. ABCD was administered intravenously once daily, median dose of 4 mg/kg, for up to 409 days (mean 23 days, median 16 days). Successful therapeutic response to treatment (complete or partial) was reported in 52% of the 99 evaluable patients with proven infection, and in 40% of all 220 patients. In the evaluable population, the response and mortality rates were 51% and 73%, respectively, in the allogeneic BMT patients, compared to 52% and 48% in the autologous BMT patients. The response rate for evaluable patients with Candida spp was 65%, 38% for patients with Aspergillus spp, and 42% for patients with other or multiple fungal infections. In this patient population at high risk of nephrotoxicity due to concomitant cyclosporine and/or other nephrotoxic agents, ABCD did not cause renal dysfunction, Although the majority of patients had pre-existing renal impairment (median baseline serum creatinine 1.8 mg/dl), there was no trend towards increasing serum creatinine. No unexpected toxicities were observed. In conclusion, ABCD appears to be safe and effective for the treatment of severe fungal infections in BMT patients.