Antifungal Therapy Strategies: A Focus on Novel Compounds and Inhibitors

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, our planet has faced several alarming issues, including a pandemic and extreme climate change, with disastrous consequences for the economy and human health. These events have also had a direct impact on the field of Mycology, wherein we have observed the emergence of new fungal pathogens that are increasingly less responsive to the limited therapeutic arsenal available. In addition, this situation is even more critical as there is no vaccine for fungal infections, which cause morbidity and mortality with enormous costs to the health system. Therefore, the search for new strategies to combat fungal infections and minimize toxicity and antifungal resistance is essential and urgent. In an attempt to reduce this impact, a collective effort by researchers is needed, focusing on multiple approaches such as (i) medicinal chemistry to study the structure of molecules and promote the design, synthesis and optimization of drugs; (ii) combined therapy, which allows drug–drug interactions with lower and less toxic doses, preferably with different mechanisms of action; (iii) the study of compounds and inhibitors that act on crucial events for the fungal cell, including those that have antivirulence activities; (iv) the discovery of inhibitors that target or circumvent resistance mechanisms such as drug efflux; (v) the repositioning of clinically approved drugs to simplify and accelerate the fight against fungal infections and reduce costs; (vi) drug delivery to improve efficacy and safety, reduce side effects, and optimize drug concentrations at desired sites; and (vii) OMICS data that expand our knowledge by revealing genes essential for fungal survival and identifying target proteins for antifungal action, allowing for the efficacy of new drugs with the potential for personalized treatments to be studied. Thus, we encourage authors to highlight recent advances in the field of antifungal therapies and to share these new approaches to boost the treatment and control of these neglected and emerging infections.

Prof. Dr. Lucimar Ferreira Kneipp
Prof. Dr. André Luis Souza dos Santos
Guest Editors

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