Dalbavancin for Gram-Positive Skin and Soft Tissue Infections
Summary
Dalbavancin is a second-generation lipoglycopeptide antibiotic with potent, concentration-dependent bactericidal activity against a broad range of Gram-positive pathogens, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Distinguished by an extended terminal half-life, it supports a convenient two-dose regimen administered one week apart, facilitating outpatient management of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections. The pharmacokinetic profile ensures sustained therapeutic concentrations in plasma and interstitial fluid, reducing the need for prolonged hospitalisation and central venous access. Clinically, dalbavancin has demonstrated high cure rates in uncomplicated and complicated skin and soft tissue infections, with a safety profile comparable to standard agents. Its efficacy in disrupting early biofilm formation further underpins its utility in device-associated and recurrent infections. Globally, the introduction of dalbavancin has reshaped antimicrobial stewardship by enabling shorter courses of therapy, lower healthcare costs and fewer treatment-related complications, while ongoing studies explore its role in deep-seated and chronic infections linked to soft tissue involvement.
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Dalbavancin for Gram-Positive Skin and Soft Tissue Infections publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in dalbavancin for gram-positive skin and soft tissue infections across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Lipoglycopeptide: A class of antibiotics combining glycopeptide cores with lipid side chains to enhance membrane binding and bacterial uptake.
Half-life: The time required for the plasma concentration of a drug to decrease by half, reflecting duration of action.
Biofilm: A structured community of bacteria encased in an extracellular matrix, often less susceptible to antibiotics.
Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM): Measurement of drug levels in biological fluids to optimise dosing and ensure efficacy while minimising toxicity.
CRISPR interference (CRISPRi): A genetic tool that uses a deactivated Cas9 protein to repress gene expression, enabling functional screens.
References
- Fast and Simple Liquid Chromatography-Isotope Dilution Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Dalbavancin in Long-Term Treatment of Subacute and/or Chronic Infections. Pharmaceutics (2023).
- Genome-wide CRISPRi screens for high-throughput fitness quantification and identification of determinants for dalbavancin susceptibility in Staphylococcus aureus. mSystems (2024).
- Real-world experience with dalbavancin therapy in gram-positive skin and soft tissue infection, bone and joint infection. Infection (2019).
- Dalbavancin reduces biofilms of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE). European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (2016).
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