Mulundocandin, an echinocandin-like lipopeptide antifungal agent: biological activities in vitro.

Mulundocandin (MCN) is an antifungal lipopeptide which belongs to the echinocandin class of antimycotic agents. MCN exhibited good in vitro activity against Candida albicans and C. glabrata isolates with MIC ranges of 0.5-4.0 microg/ml and 2.0-4.0 microg/ml, respectively. MCN also exhibited some activity against C. tropicalis isolates (MIC range 1.0-8.0 microg/ml). However, MCN was poorly active against other non-albicans isolates and was inactive against Cryptococcus neoformans, Aspergillus species and Trichophyton. MCN appeared to exert its antifungal activity through preferential inhibition of germ tube formation (MIC-HY 0.015-0.03 microg/ml) and was typically less active on the yeast form (MIC 0.5-4.0 microg/ml). In kill-curve experiments 99.9% reductions in cell viability were observed following 8 hours exposure to MCN at 4 x MIC and 8 x MIC and after 5 hours exposure to 16 x MIC.