Comparative study on the efficacy of liposomal amphotericin B and voriconazole in a murine pulmonary aspergillosis model

BACKGROUND: No clinical studies have compared the efficacy of liposomal formulation AMB (L-AMB) and voriconazole (VRC) in the treatment of pulmonary aspergillosis. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of L-AMB and VRC in murine pulmonary aspergillosis.

METHODS: Leucopenic mice were infected intratracheally with Aspergillus fumigatus and treated intravenously with L-AMB (once a day) or VRC (twice a day).

RESULTS: L-AMB and VRC at a dose of >or=5 and >or=20 mg/kg, respectively, significantly prolonged the survival time of infected mice and reduced the pulmonary fungal burden in comparison with the control group. At the maximum recommended dose for clinical use, 5 mg/kg of L-AMB exhibited greater efficacy than 10 mg/kg of VRC, which achieved an area under the concentration-time curve level equivalent to that of 6 mg/kg (loading dose) in humans, in terms of increasing survival and reducing the fungal burden.

CONCLUSION: The in vivo efficacy of L-AMB was superior to that of VRC at the maximum recommended dose in a murine pulmonary aspergillosis model.