MSD: Cancidas safety and tolerability critical in paediatric population

Merck, Sharp and Dohme have underlined the importance of safety and tolerability in paediatric patients when considering its fungal treatment Cancidas (caspofungin acetate).

Cancidas is an echinocandin therapy indicated for the treatment of patients aged three months and older with fungal infections.

The compound is administered via slow intravenous infusion over an hour and inhibits the synthesis of (1,3)-D-glucan, a key component of the fungal wall.

It has this week received an expanded label from the US Food and Drug Administration to cover patients aged three months to 17 years old with indicated fungal infections.

MSD said the safety and efficacy of the compound has not been sufficiently studied in patients aged under three months of age and neonates.

Dr Theoklis Zaoutis, assistant professor of paediatrics and epidemiology in the division of infectious diseases at the Children’s Hospital, Philadelphia, said: “In the pediatric population, safety and tolerability can be especially critical.”

He added the expanded labelling for Cancidas offers clinicians a new treatment option with a demonstrated safety and efficacy profile for treating younger patients with indicated fungal infections.

In October 2007, MSD presented positive preliminary trial results for Cancidas at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.