OBJECTIVE: Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a major concern for women of reproductive age group affecting more than 70% of total population of the mentioned population. Apart from Candida albicans as a predominant etiological fungal agent, other non albican species as C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, C. krusei, C. parapsilosis, Trichosporon spp. zygomycetes spp and Saccharomyces cerevisiae have also proven to be other important agents causing the disease. The situation becomes difficult when the usual conventional therapeutic modalities like oral and local azoles, as well as boric acid and flucytosine fail to cure the disease and raise the burden of resistant strains.

RESULTS: Iberxafungerp, as a novel oral triterpenoid oral antifungal, has been evolved to treat VVC by interacting differently with the target cell unlike other echinocandins. Additionally, it has a broader antifungal spectrum, fungicidal activity against Candida spp., high tissue penetration into target tissues, activity at low pH, and no preclinical fetal toxicity, which addresses many of the unmet needs of existing antifungal drugs for VVC.

CONCLUSIONS: Available data obtained from recently completed clinical trials on safety and efficacy of this drug in treatment of VVC, as well as recent approval from FDA raise a great hope to treat the drug-resistant pathogens.