Efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics of micafungin in pediatric patients with deep mycoses

We studied the efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics of micafungin(MCFG) pediatric patients with deep mycoses, and conducted a multicenter, non-blinded, uncontrolled study to estimate the pediatric dosage and administration schedule. The results in the 20 cases that were enrolled in this study are as follows: 1. In terms of the overall clinical effect, the study drug was "effective" in 10/14 cases (71.4%) overall, 7/11 cases (63.6%) of candidiasis, and all of the 3 cases of aspergillosis. 2. The percent incidence of adverse drug reactions (accompanying symptoms) was 5% (1/20 cases), and an anaphylactoid reaction occurred in 1 case only. The percent incidence of adverse drug reactions (abnormal laboratory test value changes) was 25.0% (5/20 cases), and the most frequently seen events were liver function disorders, such as increased AST, increased ALT, increased ALP, increased γ-GTP, etc. None of these events were serious, and it was not necessary to discontinue or decrease the dose of the study drug in any of the patients. The adverse drug reactions were not dose-dependent either. 3. Both C_max and C_min showed linearity in the dose range of 1.0 to 6.0 mg/kg/day based on the results of the pharmacokinetics study. The half-life was approximately 13 hours and was generally constant, irrespective of the dose level and age. Based on the abovementioned results, the efficacy, safety and in vivo pharmacokinetics of micafungin in pediatric patients, including school children, infants, and nursing infants, at doses (1.0 to 6.0 mg/kg/day) calculated with body weight adjustment from the approved adult dosage (50 to 300 mg/day), did not differ widely from those in adult patients, and the drug is expected to become a useful drug for pediatric patients with deep mycoses.