What is Daptomycin?
Daptomycin is a semi-synthetic antibiotic derived from Streptomyces roseosporus. It works by inhibiting cell wall synthesis in Gram-positive bacteria, leading to their death. Daptomycin is effective against various bacterial infections, including skin and soft tissue infections, pneumonia, bacteremia, and endocarditis, caused by susceptible organisms such as Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis. It is typically administered intravenously.
What is Daptomycin used for?
Daptomycin is a bactericidal antibiotic that belongs to the class of cyclic lipopeptides. It was approved by the US FDA in 2003 for the treatment of complicated skin and soft tissue infections (cSSSI) caused by susceptible bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus (methicillin-resistant and susceptible), Streptococcus pyogenes, and Enterococcus faecalis. Daptomycin is also used to treat bacteraemia (blood infection) and right-sided infective endocarditis associated with skin and soft tissue infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria.
Daptomycin has a unique mechanism of action that involves the formation of pores in bacterial membranes, leading to rapid loss of intracellular components and eventual cell death. It exhibits broad-spectrum activity against both methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), making it a valuable therapeutic option for treating serious Gram-positive infections that are resistant to other antibiotics. The typical dosage regimen for daptomycin is administered intravenously, usually in a single daily dose of 4-9 mg/kg body weight for adults.
The safety and efficacy profile of daptomycin has been extensively evaluated in clinical trials and has demonstrated an excellent tolerability profile, with minimal drug-related adverse effects reported. Common side effects include headache, nausea, vomiting, and infusion site reactions. Due to its bactericidal activity and potential for causing tendon ruptures, as well as interactions with certain anticoagulants, daptomycin should be used cautiously in patients with a history of tendon problems or on concomitant therapy with anticoagulant medications.
Key Indications:
- Complicated skin and soft tissue infections (cSSSI)
- Bacteraemia (blood infection)
- Right-sided infective endocarditis associated with cSSSI
Dosage: Intravenous administration of 4-9 mg/kg body weight daily for adults
Daptomycin side effects
- Abdominal pain
- Anaphylaxis (rare)
- Angioedema (rare)
- Back pain
- Blood urea increased
- Cardiac arrest (rare)
- Cellulitis
- Clostridium difficile colitis
- Constipation
- Dehydration
- Decreased platelet count
- Diarrhea
- Edema peripheral
- Feeling unwell
- Fungal infection
- Gait disturbance
- Hypersensitivity reactions
- Hypertension
- Hypotension
- Increased gamma-glutamyl transferase
- Increased potassium
- Injection site reaction (redness, swelling, or pain)
- Joint disorder (non-articular)
- Laryngitis
- Muscle weakness
- Myalgia
- Nausea
- Neutrophil count decreased
- Peripheral edema
- Pharyngitis
- Renal function abnormal
- Sinusitis
- Swelling of face, throat or neck
- Tinnitus (rare)
- Throat irritation
- Tongue edema
- Urticaria
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