In vitro antifungal activity of BMS-207147 and itraconazole against yeast strains that are non-susceptible to fluconazole.

The activities of itraconazole and the new triazole BMS-207147 were determined against Candida strains that were susceptible-dose dependent (fluconazole MICs 16 to 32 micrograms/mL) or resistant (MICs > or = 64 micrograms/mL) to fluconazole. These strains included clinical isolates of Candida krusei, Candida glabrata, and Candida albicans. In addition, 16 isogenic, genetically characterized isolates of C. albicans, with progressively decreased susceptibility to fluconazole, were tested. BMS-207147 MICs to C. krusei, a species considered intrinsically resistant to fluconazole, were at 0.13 to 0.5 microgram/mL. The population distribution of the fluconazole-nonsusceptible C. glabrata was bimodal with BMS-207147/itraconazole MICs at 0.5 to 2 micrograms/mL and > or = 16 micrograms/mL. The BMS-207147 MICs to the majority of fluconazole-nonsusceptible C. albicans strains tested were < or = 1 microgram/mL. The activity of BMS-207147 was minimally affected by overexpression of the gene encoding the efflux pump MDR1, but MIC increases were observed with changes in ERG11 and with overexpression of the CDR transporter gene. Nonetheless, BMS-207147 can be active against C. albicans mutants containing cumulative resistance mechanisms to azoles. In other words, fluconazole-resistant candidal strains may be susceptible to BMS-207147.