Dalbavancin: A novel once-weekly lipoglycopeptide antibiotic

The increasing prevalence of drug-resistant gram-positive cocci, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, has underscored the need for new agents for the treatment of this type of infection. Dalbavancin, a new lipoglycopeptide, has the desirable characteristics of increased in vitro activity, compared with vancomycin, for most gram-positive pathogenic bacteria, as well as an extremely long half-life, permitting once-weekly intravenous dosing. Clinical studies comparing linezolid with 2 doses of dalbavancin have shown comparable efficacy for the treatment of skin and soft-tissue infection. Dalbavancin has also proven to be effective for therapy of catheter-related bloodstream infections. It has an excellent safety profile in studies to date. Dalbavancin will likely have a significant role in outpatient intravenous therapy for patients with potentially serious drug-resistant gram-positive coccal infections.