Telavancin, a new lipoglycopeptide antimicrobial, in complicated skin and soft tissue infections

Telavancin, a novel lipoglycopeptide with rapid concentration-dependent bactericidal effects, is a semisynthetic derivative of the glycopeptide, vancomycin. Telavancin has a dual mechanism of action, ie, inhibition of peptidoglycan polymerization and disruption of the bacterial membrane. It has linear pharmacokinetics, rapid bactericidal killing, and broad spectrum activity against Gram positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant S. aureus. Phase II and III clinical trials for complicated skin and skin structure infections have shown telavancin to have similar efficacy and tolerability to that of vancomycin and standard anti-staphylococcal β-lactams plus vancomycin. In Phase II trials, there was a significant difference in eradication of MRSA between groups, ie, telavancin therapy 92% and standard therapy (vancomycin, nafcillin, oxacillin, or cloxacillin) 68% (P < 0.05). In Phase III trials, among clinically evaluable patients who had MRSA isolated at baseline, the overall therapeutic response was higher in patients treated with telavancin than in patients treated with vancomycin (89.9% versus 84.7%; 95% CI −0.3, 10.5). Also, the efficacy of telavancin was not inferior to that of vancomycin for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections in the clinical trials.