Lipid-based amphotericin B formulations: from animals to man

Amphotericin B has been the mainstay of systemic antifungal therapy for over 30 years, despite its serious side-effects, and, although numerous alternative antifungal agents have been developed, none to date has matched the efficacy of amphotericin B. However, modern drug delivery technology has improved the safety of amphotericin B by incorporating it into lipid-based delivery systems, including liposomes. Three such formulations, based on the natural affinity of amphotericin B for lipids, are currently marketed. All increase the therapeutic index of amphotericin B, thereby allowing more aggressive treatment than is possible with the conventional product. However, they differ in structure, side-effect profiles and evidence of proven efficacy as discussed in this review.