Daptomycin, a lipopeptide antibiotic in clinical practice

Gram-positive cocci are one of the leading causes of infections in clinical medicine. Since the invention of antibiotic substances, multidrug resistance is a major problem in the treatment of such infections. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is responsible for 60% of nosocomial infections in the US. The first-choice drug used in these cases is the glycopeptide vancomycin; however, vancomycin is associated with a significant number of adverse side effects, such as nephro- and ototoxicity. Thus, the discovery of new drugs against MRSA and other multidrug-resistant cocci is of utmost interest. Daptomycin, a lipopeptide, is one of these new drugs and has been successfully used in the treatment of complicated skin and skin-structure infections and right-sided endocarditis. Because of its potency and pharmacological profile, it is increasingly used for new indications not yet approved by the FDA. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of daptomycin, with particular emphasis on potential new indications for which it could be used in the future.