Effectiveness, safety and cost analysis of dalbavancin in clinical practice

Real-world evidence of dalbavancin effectiveness as consolidation therapy in infective endocarditis due to Enterococcus spp

Enterococcal endocarditis (EIE) affects elderly patients, with high rates of complications and mortality, and dalbavancin (DBV) exhibits significant antimicrobial activity against most enterococci. However, data are lacking on the use of DBV in EIE. The main objective was to evaluate the outcomes of treatment with DBV in the consolidation therapy of IE by Enterococcus spp.

METHODS

Spanish-French retrospective observational study of patients with EIE enrolled between November 2016 and June 30, 2022 receiving DBV in consolidation phase and followed for ≥12 months.

RESULTS

Ninety-eight patients were enrolled, 69.4 % male, with mean age of 71.2 (±12.51) years and median Charlson index of 5 (IQR 3-7). Criteria for definite IE were met by 84.7%; 60.2 % had IE on native valve, 26.5 % late prosthetic IE, 8.2 % early prosthetic IE, 2 % cardiovascular implantable electronic-IE (CIE-IE), and 3.1 % CIE-IE and valve. Aortic valve involvement was observed in 66.3 %. E. faecalis was isolated in 86.7 %, E. faecium in 11.2 %; 32.6 % underwent surgery, and these had a higher cure rate (100 % vs 75.8 %; p = 0.005) and lower mortality (0 vs 13.6 %; p = 0.029). DBV was administered to facilitate discharge in 88.8 %. Total dose was 2500 mg (1500-3000) over 3.5 weeks (2-4). Loss to follow-up was 0 %, relapse rate 8.2 %, 1-year IE-related mortality 3.1 %, and clinical cure rate 81.2 %. Severe adverse events affected 1 % (acute tubular necrosis). Hospital stay was reduced by 21 days (14-28).

CONCLUSIONS

DBV appears to be highly effective, safe, and cost-effective as consolidation therapy in patients with IE caused by Enterococcus spp., with minimal adverse events.

In-label, off-label prescription, efficacy and tolerability of dalbavancin: report from a National Registry

PURPOSE

Although dalbavancin is currently approved for the treatment of ABSSIs, several studies suggest its efficacy and tolerance as long-term therapy for other off-label indications requiring prolonged intravenous antibiotic administration.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective nationwide study of dalbavancin use in real-life settings for both approved and off-label indications analysing for each case the clinical and microbiological characteristics of infection the efficacy and safety of treatments.

RESULTS

During the study period (from December 2018 to July 2021), the ID specialists from 14 different centres enrolled 223 patients treated with dalbavancin [141 males (63%) and 82 females (37%); male/female ratio 1.72; mean age 59 (SD 17.2) years, (range 15-96). Most patients in the study population (136/223; 61.0%) came from community rather than health care facilities and most of them were visited in Infectious Diseases wards (93/223; 41.7%) and clinics (55/223; 24.7%) even though some patients were cured in other settings, such as surgery wards (18/223; 8.1%), orthopaedic wards (11/223; 4.9%), Emergency Rooms (7/223; 3.1%) and non-surgical other than ID wards (6/223; 2.7%). The most common ID diagnoses were osteomyelitis (44 cases/223; 19.7%; of which 29 acute and 15 chronic osteomyelitis), cellulitis (28/223; 12.5%), cutaneous abscess (23/223; 10.3%), orthopaedic prosthesis-associated infection (22/223; 9.9%), surgical site infection (20/223; 9.0%) and septic arthritis (15/223; 6.7%).

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, by virtue of its PK/PD properties, dalbavancin represents a valuable option to daily in-hospital intravenous or outpatient antimicrobial regimens also for off-label indications requiring a long-term treatment of Gram-positive infections.

Dalbavancin as suppressive therapy for implant-related infections: a case series with therapeutic drug monitoring and review of the literature

Implant-related infections may need suppressive antibiotic therapy (SAT). We describe a SAT strategy using dalbavancin with therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). This is a retrospective bicentric study of patients with implant-related infection who received dalbavancin SAT between January 2021 and September 2023. Fifteen patients were included. Median number of injections was 4 (IQR: 2-7). Median time between two reinjections was 57 days (IQR 28-82). Dalbavancin plasma concentrations were above 4 mg/L for 97.9% of dosages (93/95) and above 8 mg/L for 85% (81/95). These results support the use of dalbavancin SAT for implant-related infections.

Three-years of dalbavancin use at a UK tertiary referral hospital serving a population with high numbers of people who inject drugs

Background

Dalbavancin's unique properties have led to an increase in its off-licence use in complex infection and in vulnerable populations including people who inject drugs (PWID), but data remain limited. In this retrospective cohort study, we describe the characteristics, treatment rationale and outcomes for all adult inpatients treated with dalbavancin at a UK tertiary hospital.

Results

Fifty-eight inpatients were treated with dalbavancin between 1 January 2018 and 1 January 2021, 98.3% for off-licence diagnoses. Acute bacterial skin and skin structure infection, infective endocarditis and endovascular infections were each diagnosed in 22.4% of patients. Bone and joint infections were diagnosed in 18.9%, discitis in 12.1% and central line-associated bloodstream infections in 5.2%. Sixty-nine percent of patients were bacteraemic; 52.5% Staphylococcus aureus, 5.0% MRSA. Two mild adverse reactions were attributed to dalbavancin. Treatment was successful in 43 (75.4%) patients, and failed in seven (12.3%). Seven (12.3%) were lost to follow-up.Thirty-five patients (60.3%) were PWID, with low median age (41.0 years) and Charlson Comorbidity scores (0). Self-discharge was taken by 17.1% of PWID, and 20.6% were lost to follow-up. At 90 days, three (8.6%) PWID were deceased.

Conclusions

In this first UK cohort, dalbavancin was used off licence and in persons facing barriers to conventional therapies. Where data is available, it was safe and effective. Dalbavancin appears a potentially valuable tool in improving outcomes for PWID.

Cost evaluation of continuation of therapy with dalbavancin compared to standard-of-care antibiotics alone in hospitalized persons who inject drugs with severe gram-positive infections

PURPOSE

Persons who inject drugs (PWID) are at risk for severe gram-positive infections and may require prolonged hospitalization and intravenous (IV) antibiotic therapy. Dalbavancin (DBV) is a long-acting lipoglycopeptide that may reduce costs and provide effective treatment in this population.

METHODS

This was a retrospective review of PWID with severe gram-positive infections. Patients admitted from January 1, 2017, to November 1, 2019 (standard-of-care [SOC] group) and from November 15, 2019, to March 31, 2022 (DBV group) were included. The primary outcome was the total cost to the healthcare system. Secondary outcomes included hospital days saved and treatment failure.

RESULTS

A total of 87 patients were included (37 in the DBV group and 50 in the SOC group). Patients were a median of 34 years old and were predominantly Caucasian (82%). Staphylococcus aureus (82%) was the most common organism, and bacteremia (71%) was the most common type of infection. Compared to the SOC group, the DBV group would have had a median of 14 additional days of hospitalization if they had stayed to complete their therapy (P = 0.014). The median total cost to the healthcare system was significantly lower in the DBV group than in the SOC group ($31,698.00 vs $45,093.50; P = 0.035). The rate of treatment failure was similar between the groups (32.4% in the DBV group vs 36% in the SOC group; P = 0.729).

CONCLUSION

DBV is a cost-saving alternative to SOC IV antibiotics for severe gram-positive infections in PWID, with similar treatment outcomes. Larger prospective studies, including other patient populations, may demonstrate additional benefit.

Real-World Use of Dalbavancin for Treatment of Soft Tissue and Bone Infection in Children: Safe, Effective and Hospital-Time Sparing

Acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) and osteoarticular infections compound the burden of morbidity, mortality and prolonged hospitalizations among gram-positive infections. Dalbavancin, a second-generation, intravenous lipoglycopeptide, due to its prolonged half-life, can be a valuable alternative in their treatment when administered as inpatient treatment at the price of an extended hospital stay. Between October 2019 and September 2023, 31 children and adolescents were treated with dalbavancin because of bone and joint infections (n = 12 patients, 39%), ABSSSI (n = 13 patients, 42%), mainly for the limbs, facial cellulitis or complicated ABSSSI (n = 6 patients, 19%), at five Italian pediatric centers. Microbiological study provided gram-positive bacterial isolate in 16 cases, in 11 cases from a positive blood culture; 9 of them were MRSA. Twenty-five patients were initially treated with a different antibiotic therapy: beta-lactam-based in 18 patients (58%), glycopeptide-based in 15 patients (48%) and daptomycin in 6 (19%). The median time that elapsed between admission and start of dalbavancin was 18 days. A total of 61 doses of dalbavancin were administered to the 31 patients: 16 received a single dose while the remaining 15 patients received between two (n = 9) and nine doses. The frequency of administration was weekly in five cases or fortnightly in nine patients. Median length of stay in hospital was 16 days. Median time to discharge after the first dose of dalbavancin was 1 day. Treatment was very well-tolerated: of the 61 administered doses, only four doses, administered to four patients, were associated with an adverse event: drug extravasation during intravenous administration occurred in two patients, with no sequelae; however, in two patients the first administration was stopped soon after infusion start: in one (ID #11), due to headache and vomiting; in another (ID #12) due to a systemic reaction. In both patients, drug infusion was not repeated. None of the remaining 29 patients reported treatment failure (resistant or recurrent disease) or an adverse effect during a median follow-up time of two months. The use of dalbavancin was safe, feasible and also effective in shortening the hospital stay in children and adolescents.

Comparison of dalbavancin with standard of care in the management of infective endocarditis: efficacy, safety, and cost analysis

OBJECTIVES

Due to its long half-life, dalbavancin offers benefits for long-duration treatments, especially osteoarticular and infective endocarditis (IE). We evaluated the efficacy and costs of IE treatment, comparing dalbavancin with standard of care (SOC).

METHODS

Retrospective multicenter cohort study of adult patients with Gram-positive cocci definite IE. Dalbavancin was used as a sequential therapy before discharge. Efficacy was a combined variable of clinical cure and absence of recurrence in 12-month follow-up. Length of hospital stay and the associated costs were analyzed in both groups of treatment.

RESULTS

Twenty-two patients received dalbavancin and 47 SOC. The efficacy was similar between the groups (dalbavancin 18 [72%] vs SOC 44 [94%], P = 0.198). Hospital stay was shorter in the dalbavancin group (dalbavancin 22 days [16-34] vs SOC 37 days [23-49], P = 0.001), especially in those with E. faecalis IE (dalbavancin 30 days [20-36] vs SOC 65 days [46-74], P <0.001). A reduction of cost was observed between both groups (dalbavancin, 12,206 € [8998-17,283] vs SOC 16,249 € [11,496-22,367], P = 0.032).

CONCLUSION

Dalbavancin could be a safe and effective option in the sequential treatment of patients with IE. Also, a cost reduction was detected, due to a significant shortness of hospital stay.

The efficacy of dalbavancin and impact on hospitalization and treatment costs in patients with ABSSSI

Acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSIs) represent a common and costly healthcare burden, accounting for millions of annual infections and billions of dollars in healthcare expenditures. Dalbavancin is a long-acting glycopeptide antibiotic that has demonstrated efficacy and safety in the treatment of ABSSSIs. This review article will examine the efficacy of dalbavancin and focus on its impact on the hospital length of stay and costs associated with management of these infections.

New Antimicrobials and New Therapy Strategies for Endocarditis: Weapons That Should Be Defended

The overall low-quality evidence concerning the clinical benefits of different antibiotic regimens for the treatment of infective endocarditis (IE), which has made it difficult to strongly support or reject any regimen of antibiotic therapy, has led to a discrepancy between the available guidelines and clinical practice. In this complex scenario, very recently published guidelines have attempted to fill this gap. Indeed, in recent years several antimicrobials have entered the market, including ceftobiprole, ceftaroline, and the long-acting lipoglycopeptides dalbavancin and oritavancin. Despite being approved for different indications, real-world data on their use for the treatment of IE, alone or in combination, has accumulated over time. Furthermore, an old antibiotic, fosfomycin, has gained renewed interest for the treatment of complicated infections such as IE. In this narrative review, we focused on new antimicrobials and therapeutic strategies that we believe may provide important contributions to the advancement of Gram-positive IE treatment, providing a summary of the current in vitro, in vivo, and clinical evidence supporting their use in clinical practice.

Long-Term Suppressive Therapeutic-Drug-Monitoring-Guided Dalbavancin Therapy for Cardiovascular Prosthetic Infections

Dalbavancin represents a promising treatment for cardiovascular prosthetic infections due to its prolonged half-life, bactericidal activity, large spectrum of activity, and excellent biofilm penetration. However, the use of dalbavancin in this setting is limited, and only a few cases have performed therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) analysis to optimize dosage in suppressive treatments longer than 4 weeks. Our retrospective case series reports the use of dalbavancin in a small cohort of patients with cardiovascular prosthetic infections (cardiac implantable electronic device infections (CEDIs), prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE), prosthetic vascular graft infections (PVGIs)) treated with dalbavancin as sequential therapy. From May 2019 to May 2023, 14 patients were included: eight cases of PVE (57.1%), seven cases of PVGI (50%), three cases of CEDI (21.4%), and four cases with overlap of infection sites (28.6%). The main pathogen was Staphylococcus aureus (35.7%). Prosthesis replacement was obtained in four patients (28.6%). The median time between symptom onset and the end of treatment was 15 weeks (IQR 7-53), with a median duration of dalbavancin therapy of 8 weeks (IQR 1 to 45 weeks) and 3.5 doses per patient. Among patients managed with TDM-guided strategy, dalbavancin infusion intervals ranged from 4 to 9 weeks. The median length of follow-up was 65 weeks (IQR 23 to 144 weeks). Clinical success was achieved in 10 cases (76.9%); all clinical failures occurred in patients with the implant retained. Among patients monitored by TDM, clinical success was 87.5% vs. 60% in patients treated without TDM. Because of pharmacokinetic individual variability, dalbavancin TDM-guided administration could improve clinical outcomes by individualizing dosing and selecting dosing intervals. This case series seems to suggest a promising role of long-term suppressive dalbavancin treatment for difficult-to-treat cardiovascular prosthesis infection, also with limited surgical indications.

Acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections in pediatric patients: potential role of dalbavancin

INTRODUCTION

Acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSIs) are a subtype of skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI), usually sustained by Gram-positive bacteria, whose incidence is high among children. ABSSSIs are responsible for a considerable number of hospitalizations. Moreover, as multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogens become widespread, the pediatric category seems burdened with an increased risk of resistance and treatment failure.

AREAS COVERED

To obtain a view on the status of the field, we describe the clinical, epidemiological, and microbiological aspects of ABSSSI in children. Old and new treatment options were critically revised with a focus on the pharmacological characteristics of dalbavancin. Evidence on the use of dalbavancin in children was collected, analyzed, and summarized.

EXPERT OPINION

Many of the therapeutic options available at the moment are characterized by the need for hospitalization or repeated intravenous infusions, safety issues, possible drug-drug interactions, and reduced efficacy on MDRs. Dalbavancin, the first long-acting molecule with strong activity against methicillin-resistant and also many vancomycin-resistant pathogens represents a game changer for adult ABSSSI. In pediatric settings, the available literature is still limited, but a growing body of evidence supports dalbavancin use in children with ABSSSI, demonstrating this drug to be safe and highly efficacious.

Cost analysis of dalbavancin versus standard of care for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSIs) in two Italian hospitals

Objectives

Thanks to its long half-life, dalbavancin qualifies as an optimal drug for saving costs. We aimed to assess the cost and effectiveness of dalbavancin versus the standard of care (SoC).

Patients and methods

We conducted a multicentre retrospective study, including all hospitalized or outpatients diagnosed with ABSSSIs at Padua University Hospital, Padua and San Paolo Hospital, Milan (1 January 2016 to 31 July 2020). We compared patients according to antibiotic treatment (dalbavancin versus SoC), the number of lines of dalbavancin treatment, and monotherapy or combination (dalbavancin in association with other antibiotics). Primary endpoints were direct medical costs and length of hospital stay (LOS) associated with ABSSSI management; Student's t-test, chi-squared test and one-way ANOVA were used.

Results

One hundred and twenty-six of 228 (55.3%) patients received SoC, while 102/228 (44.7%) received dalbavancin. Twenty-seven of the 102 (26.5%) patients received dalbavancin as first-line treatment, 46 (45.1%) as second-line, and 29 (28.4%) as third- or higher-line treatment. Most patients received dalbavancin as monotherapy (62/102; 60.8%). Compared with SoC, dalbavancin was associated with a significant reduction of LOS (5 ± 7.47 days for dalbavancin, 9.2 ± 5.59 days for SoC; P < 0.00001) and with lower mean direct medical costs (3470 ± 2768€ for dalbavancin; 3493 ± 1901€ for SoC; P = 0.9401). LOS was also reduced for first-line dalbavancin, in comparison with second-, third- or higher-line groups, and for dalbavancin monotherapy versus combination therapy. Mean direct medical costs were significantly lower in first-line dalbavancin compared with higher lines, but no cost difference was observed between monotherapy and combination therapy.

Conclusions

Monotherapy with first-line dalbavancin was confirmed as a promising strategy for ABSSSIs in real-life settings, thanks to its property in reducing LOS and saving direct medical costs.

Dalbavancin in clinical practice in Spain: a 2 year retrospective study

Objectives

Dalbavancin is approved for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin-structure infections (ABSSSIs) in adults. Its unique pharmacokinetic properties allow daily dosing to be avoided. The objective was to describe the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients treated with dalbavancin in Spain, and to evaluate its effectiveness and safety in real-world settings.

Patients and methods

This non-interventional, retrospective, observational and multicentre study included patients who received at least one dose between 2018 and 2019 in seven Spanish hospitals.

Results

In total, 187 patients were included. The most common comorbidities were cardiovascular disease (27.4%) and diabetes mellitus (23.5%). Dalbavancin was used to treat osteoarticular infections (28.3%), ABSSSIs (22.5%), cardiovascular infections (20.9%) and catheter-related infections (18.2%). The most prevalent pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus (34.2%), CoNS (32.6%), and enterococci (12.8%). The main reason for use was early hospital discharge (65.8%). Most patients were treated with 1500 mg in a single dose (35.3%) and the median duration of treatment was 2 weeks. The treatment was clinically successful in 91.4% of cases. Six patients (3.2%) reported adverse events. Physicians agreed on the potential reduction of hospitalization days (85.3%). A subanalysis of patient characteristics and type of pathogen showed similar results in terms of efficacy and safety.

Conclusions

Dalbavancin seems to be effective and safe as second-line treatment in severe Gram-positive infections. It improves treatment adherence and allows outpatient management. Furthermore, the effectiveness and safety profile are maintained against diverse microorganisms in Gram-positive infections and regardless of the patients' comorbidities at baseline, or age.

Dalbavancin in the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure and other infections: a safety evaluation

INTRODUCTION

Dalbavancin is a second-generation lipoglycopeptide that was approved since 2014 to treat acute bacterial skin and skin-structure infections (ABSSSI). Dalbavancin is characterized by Gram-positive activity and novel pharmacokinetic properties that result in a prolonged terminal half-life, allowing once weekly dosing in adults. A good safety profile was reported by randomized clinical trials and meta-analyses.

AREAS COVERED

Dalbavancin safety and tolerability data from trials and post-marketing studies were reviewed. While most trials included predominantly ABSSSI, 2 clinical trials and recent observational studies have explored the use of dalbavancin for off-label indications, mainly including bloodstream and osteoarticular infections.

EXPERT OPINION

The occurrence of drug-related adverse effects (AE) was similar between dalbavancin and comparators in clinical trials enrolling patients with ABSSSI. Most common AE included gastrointestinal symptoms, infusion reaction, and hypersensitivity. Low rates of drug discontinuation and serious AE were reported across studies. In the past 5 years, several observational studies have reported safety data on the use of dalbavancin, confirming its favorable safety profile. Nevertheless, data from dalbavancin off-label use often derived from prolonged (> 2 weeks) treatments with variable dosing regimens, were mainly retrospective, and lacked comparators. Further research is required to allow a reliable analysis of short- and long-term dalbavancin-related AE in non-ABSSSI.

A Retrospective multicenter Study on Dalbavancin Effectiveness and cost-evaluation In Sternotomic Wound Infection Treatment. DALBA SWIT-Study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of dalbavancin compared with standard of care (SoC) treatment as daptomycin or teicoplanin in patients with sternal wound infections (SWI).

METHODS

Multicentre retrospective study of patients diagnosed with SWI from January 2016 to December 2019 at two cardiac surgery facilities treated with dalbavancin, teicoplanin or daptomycin. Patients with SWI treated with dalbavancin were compared with SoC to evaluate resolution of infection at 90 and 180 days from infection diagnosis, length of stay (LoS) and management costs.

RESULTS

48 patients with SWI were enrolled, 25 (50%) male, median age 67 (60-73) years, Charlson index score 5 (4-7). Fiftheen patients were treated with dalbavancin (31%), and 33 with SoC (69%): teicoplanin in 21 (63%), and daptomycin in 12 (37%). Staphylococcus species were the most frequent isolates (44, 92%), mostly (84%) resistant to methicillin. All patients were treated with surgical debridement followed by negative pressure wound therapy. Wound healing at day 90 and 180 was achieved in 46 (95.8%) and 34 (82.9%) of patients, respectively. A shorter length of hospitalization in patients treated with dalbavancin compared with SoC [12 (7-18) days vs 22 (12-36) days, p:0.009] was found. Treatment with dalbavancin resulted in total cost savings of 16026 € (95%CI 5976 - 26076, p<0.001). Savings were mainly related to the LoS that was significantly shorter in the dalbavancin group generating significantly lower cost as compared to SoC group.

CONCLUSIONS

Dalbavancin treatment of sternal wound infections is effective and seems to reduce hospitalization length, leading to significantly lower costs.

A Multicentre, Prospective, and Retrospective Registry to Characterize the Use, Effectiveness, and Safety of Dalbavancin in German Clinical Practice

The antibiotic dalbavancin is approved for intravenous treatment of adults with acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections. This study aimed to observe the use, effectiveness, and safety of dalbavancin in clinical practice in Germany. It was a multicentre, prospective, and retrospective registry and consecutively enrolled patients treated with dalbavancin. Each patient was observed from the first to the last dose of dalbavancin, with a 30-day follow-up. Patient inclusion was planned for 2 years, but was terminated early due to low recruitment. All analyses were descriptive. Between November 2018 and December 2019, nine patients were enrolled. Only three patients were treated for the approved indication. Outcome was assessed by the physicians as ‘success’ in five (55.6%) patients, ‘failure’ in one (11.1%) patient, and non-evaluable in three (33.3%) patients. Although the success rate of dalbavancin was lower than reported previously, this may be due to the severity of underlying infections and patients’ high Charlson Comorbidity Index. None of the two reported adverse events were considered related to dalbavancin. These findings were in line with real-world data for dalbavancin from other countries, supporting the drug’s positive benefit–risk profile and suggesting frequent off-label use in German routine practice.

Clinical Utility and Cost Effectiveness of Long-Acting Lipoglycopeptides Used in Deep-Seated Infections among Patients with Social and Economic Barriers to Care

The use of long-acting lipoglycopeptides (LaLGPs) in serious, deep-seated infections is of increasing interest. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the economic and clinical utility of LaLGPs in patients requiring protracted antibiotic courses who are not ideal candidates for oral transition or outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT). This is a retrospective, observational, matched cohort study of adult patients who received a LaLGP. Patients were matched 1:1 to those who received standard of care (SOC). Cost effectiveness was evaluated as total healthcare-related costs between groups. Clinical failure was a composite endpoint of mortality, recurrence, or need for extended antibiotics beyond planned course within 90 days of initial infection. There was no difference in clinical failure between the two cohorts (22% vs. 30%; p = 0.491). Six patients in the SOC cohort left against medical advice (AMA) prior to completing therapy. Among those who did not leave AMA, receipt of LaLGPs resulted in a decreased hospital length of stay by an average of 13.6 days. The average total healthcare-related cost of care was USD 295,589 in the LaLGP cohort compared to USD 326,089 in the SOC cohort (p = 0.282). Receipt of LaLGPs may be a beneficial treatment option for patients with deep-seated infections and socioeconomic factors who are not candidates for oral transition or OPAT.

Biofilm-Related Infections in Gram-Positive Bacteria and the Potential Role of the Long-Acting Agent Dalbavancin

Infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria are a major public health problem due to their increasing resistance to antibiotics. Staphylococcus and Enterococcus species' resistance and pathogenicity are enhanced by their ability to form biofilm. The biofilm lifestyle represents a significant obstacle to treatment because bacterial cells become highly tolerant to a wide range of antimicrobial compounds normally effective against their planktonic forms. Thus, novel therapeutic strategies targeting biofilms are urgently needed. The lipoglycopeptide dalbavancin is a long-acting agent for treating acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections caused by a broad range of Gram-positive pathogens. Recent studies have shown promising activity of dalbavancin against Gram-positive biofilms, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis (MRSE), and vancomycin-susceptible enterococci. This review outlines the mechanisms regulating biofilm development in Staphylococcus and Enterococcus species and the clinical impact of biofilm-related infections. In addition, it discusses the clinical implications and potential therapeutic perspectives of the long-acting drug dalbavancin against biofilm-forming Gram-positive pathogens.

Role or oritavancin and dalbavancin in acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections and other potential indications

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To discuss the currently available evidence about the use oritavancin and dalbavancin for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) and for other potential indications.

RECENT FINDINGS

In this review, we briefly summarize the available data on efficacy (from randomized controlled trials) and on effectiveness and cure rates (from observational studies) pertaining to the use of oritavancin and dalbavancin either for ABSSSI or for other indications.

SUMMARY

Oritavancin and dalbavancin are valid options for outpatient therapy and early discharge in patients with ABSSSI, especially when adherence to oral therapy cannot be guaranteed or no oral choices are available. Furthermore, it is worth noting that a non-negligible portion (sometimes the majority) of oritavancin and dalbavancin use in available real-life experiences is for indications other than ABSSSI, especially for Gram-positive osteomyelitis and endocarditis. The number of studies on the use of long-acting lipoglycopeptides for these currently off-label indications is rapidly increasing and will help to further optimize the use of these peculiar antibiotics in the forthcoming future.

Systematic review and meta-analysis on the safety of dalbavancin

BACKGROUND

Dalbavancin is a semisynthetic lipoglycopeptide antimicrobial agent with activity against Gram-positive bacteria including anaerobes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Meta-analysis of randomized control trials and large case series (more than 20 patients), were identified by searching Pubmed and Cochrane databases through 14 December 2020.

RESULTS

3,073 patients from 6 RCTs met the inclusion criteria. Treatment emergent adverse effects were described in 30.6% dalbavancin patients, and 38.1% patients with other treatments. Our meta-analysis supports favorable results for dalbavancin treatment (OR 0.79; 95%CI 0.66-0.94; p = 0.01). 2.74% dalbavancin patients had to discontinue treatment versus 2.49% patients on other antibiotics. 4.80% dalbavancin patients versus 5.30% patients with other treatments had severe adverse events. 0.31% in the dalbavancin group and 0.95% receiving other antibiotics died. There was no statistically significant difference in severe adverse effects with OR 0.77; 95% CI 0.52-1.14; p = 0.19. Dalbavancin therapy was shown to have statistically significant lower mortality rate (OR 0.26; 95% CI 0.07-0.90; p = 0.03). Observational studies reported few side effects but included a heterogeneous population of patients concerning their diagnosis and the duration of antibiotic treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Dalbavancin has comparable safety profile relative to other antibiotics and is well-tolerated.

Dalbavancin Efficacy and Impact on Hospital Length-of-Stay and Treatment Costs in Different Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections

Background and Objectives

The study aimed to evaluate the impact of dalbavancin therapy on both hospital length-of-stay (LOS) and treatment-related costs, as well as to describe the clinical outcome, in a retrospective cohort of patients with diverse Gram-positive bacterial infections, hospitalized in different specialty Units.

Methods

From July 2017 to July 2019, clinical and sociodemographic data were collected for all hospitalized patients switched to dalbavancin for the treatment of Gram-positive infections. LOS and treatment-related costs were assessed and compared to a hypothetical scenario where the initial standard antimicrobial therapy would have been administered in hospital for the same duration as dalbavancin.

Results

A total of 50 patients were enrolled. The observed infections were: acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSIs, 12 patients), complicated ABSSSIs (eight patients), osteoarticular infections (18 patients), vascular graft or cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIED) infections (12 patients). After a median of 14 [interquartile range (IQR) 7–28] days, the in-hospital antimicrobial therapy was switched to dalbavancin 1500 mg. When appropriate, considering the site and the clinical course of the infection, 1500 mg doses were repeated every 14 days until recovery. Overall, 49/50 (98%) patients reported clinical success at the end of therapy. No relapses were observed in 37 patients for whom a median follow-up of 150 (IQR 30–180) days was available. By switching to dalbavancin, a median of €8,259 (IQR 5644–17,270) and 14 hospital days (IQR 22–47) per patient were saved.

Conclusions

In this experience, the use of dalbavancin contributed to shorten LOS and treatment-related costs, especially in difficult Gram-positive infections requiring prolonged therapy.

Review: A Safety Profile of Dalbavancin for On- and Off-Label Utilization

Introduction

Dalbavancin is a bactericidal lipoglycopeptide active against gram-positives. Its use has been approved for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI).

Methods

We conducted a narrative review of the literature on the safety profile of dalbavancin. The bibliographic research was carried out on the PubMed database on 6 November 2020 by seeking combinations of the following keywords: dalbavancin, adverse effects, safety, drug interactions, and skin infections.

Results

Five double-blind Phase 3 randomized clinical trials, 2 open-label randomized trials, and 4 retrospective studies were identified. No statistically significant differences were found between dalbavancin and comparators in the incidence of adverse events. Retrospective studies confirm the low incidence of adverse events.

Conclusion

Dalbavancin is a therapeutic option that has demonstrated an excellent safety profile, also in relation to the other MRSA therapies available. Its use represents a cost-effective solution for the treatment of those patients with ABSSSI who would need hospitalization. One limitation of this study is that most of the available data are from Phase III clinical trials. Further real-life studies with a larger sample size are therefore needed to better assess the safety profile of the dalbavancin, especially to investigate the true incidence of rare adverse events.