Teicoplanin—A New Use for an Old Drug in the COVID-19 Era?

Abstract

Teicoplanin is an antibiotic that has been actively used in medical practice since 1986 to treat serious Gram-positive bacterial infections. Due to its efficiency and low cytotoxicity, teicoplanin has also been used for patients with complications, including pediatric and immunocompromised patients. Although teicoplanin is accepted as an antibacterial drug, its action against RNA viruses, including SARS-CoV2, has been proven in vitro. Here, we provide a thorough overview of teicoplanin usage in medicine, based on the current literature. We summarize infection sites treated with teicoplanin, concentrations of the antibiotic in different organs, and side effects. Finally, we summarize all available data about the antiviral activity of teicoplanin. We believe that, due to the extensive experience of teicoplanin usage in clinical settings to treat bacterial infections and its demonstrated activity against SARS-CoV2, teicoplanin could become a drug of choice in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Teicoplanin stops the replication of the virus and at the same time avoids the development of Gram-positive bacterial co-infections.

Glycopeptide Antibiotic Teicoplanin Inhibits Cell Entry of SARS-CoV-2 by Suppressing the Proteolytic Activity of Cathepsin L

“…Host cell entry is the first step of the viral life cycle and is an ideal process to develop potential drugs. Several studies and reviews have indicated that antibiotic teicoplanin could be the alternative drug for the treatment of COVID-19 ( Baron et al, 2020 ; Vimberg, 2021 ). In this study, we conducted many SARS-CoV-2 infection assays and identified that teicoplanin could inhibit the entry of SARS-CoV-2 with an IC 50 of lower than 2.5 μM.…”

Immobilised teicoplanin does not demonstrate antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus

“…Immobilised antimicrobials must therefore act at the level of the cell wall and/or membrane 2 and display evidence of functionality when tethered to a surface. One such candidate is Teic, a macrocyclic glycopeptide antibiotic, which has found widespread use as a chiral selector in enantiomeric chromatography 3 – 9 , 12 , 13 and attacks Gram-positive bacteria at the level of the cell wall 10 .…”

“…With regard to sourcing the appropriate antibacterial agent we have focused on teicoplanin (Teic), a macrocyclic glycopeptide antibiotic (Fig. 1 ) produced by Actinoplanes teichomyceticus 10 . Teic binds to the C-terminal of D-Ala-D-Ala motifs of non-crosslinked lipid II which forms during the biosynthesis of peptidoglycan, an essential component of the bacterial cell wall.…”

A risk prediction model of linezolid-induced thrombocytopenia for elderly patients with chronic kidney disease is urgently needed

“…According to guidelines from the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), vancomycin, linezolid and teicoplanin as first line treatment are recommended to treat patients with serious Gram-positive bacterial infections 2–4. Therapeutic drug monitoring of vancomycin and teicoplanin are needed to help avoid a side effect of acute kidney injury.…”