Ambisome (Gilead Sciences)

Ambisome is a liposomal formulation of the polyene antifungal amphotericin B, developed to treat serious, invasive fungal infections while minimizing the systemic toxicity, particularly nephrotoxicity, associated with the standard deoxycholate formulation. The drug's mechanism of action involves high-affinity binding to ergosterol, a sterol unique to fungal cell membranes. This binding facilitates the formation of transmembrane channels or pores, leading to the leakage of essential intracellular components such as potassium ions, ultimately resulting in fungal cell death. Ambisome is widely used for the treatment of systemic candidiasis, aspergillosis, and cryptococcal meningitis, as well as for empirical therapy in febrile neutropenic patients. The specific "o-Fovea-candidiasis" context refers to a Phase 4 clinical trial (NCT00122304) sponsored by Fovea Pharmaceuticals that investigated the efficacy of preemptive Ambisome administration in septic intensive care unit patients with multiple Candida colonizations to prevent the progression to invasive systemic infections.

Brand names

Ambisome

Other names

liposomal amphotericin BL-AMBamphotericin B liposome