[Liver toxicity of micafungin. Is this drug safe?]

Abstract

Micafungin was commercialized in Japan in 2002 and has been used in more than 750,000 patients. As a member of the candin family, the drug's clinical and analytical tolerability is very good, both in adults and in children, including neonates. In this latter population, micafungin is the most frequently used candin. The most common adverse effects are nausea and elevated transaminase levels. Preclinical studies showed the development of benign liver tumors in rats treated with extremely high doses of the drug for prolonged periods. These data were not reproduced in other species and no cases have been reported in humans.