Improved Methods for Assessing Therapeutic Potential of Antifungal Agents against Dermatophytes and Their Application in the Development of NP213, a Novel Onychomycosis Therapy Candidate.

ABSTRACT: Onychomycosis is a common, difficult-to-treat nail infection that is mainly caused by dermatophytes. Current therapies are not wholly effective and are associated with manifold side effects. The development of treatments for onychomycosis is challenging because standard in vitro tests are not predictive of antifungal efficacy within the nail. We have developed a new antifungal agent, NP213, for the treatment of onychomycosis. NP213 is based on endogenous host defense peptides produced within the nail. We compared the in vitro activity of NP213 and existing antifungal agents using conventional antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) systems and more physiologically relevant models based on the human nail. We observed that the standard in vitro AST methodologies failed to predict the efficac

SUBMITTER: Mercer DK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6496068 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature