Slowly metabolized by hydrolysis and N-acetylation; also undergoes spontaneous chemical degradation and further hydrolysis to constitutive amino acids and their degredates, including dihydroxyhomotyrosine and N-acetyl-dihydroxyhomotyrosine.
Caspofungin is slowly metabolized in the liver via hydrolysis and N-acetylation; 35 and 41% of the parent drug and metabolites were excreted in feces and urine, respectively, following a single IV radiolabeled dose.
The metabolism, excretion, and pharmacokinetics of caspofungin were investigated after administration of a single intravenous dose to mice, rats, rabbits, and monkeys. ... Excretion of radioactivity in all species studied was slow, and low levels of radioactivity were detected in daily urine and fecal samples throughout a prolonged collection period. Although urinary profiles indicated the presence of several metabolites (M0, M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, and M6), the majority of the total radioactivity was associated with the polar metabolites M1 [4(S)-hydroxy-4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-L-threonine] and M2 (N-acetyl-4(S)-hydroxy-4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-L-threonine). Caspofungin was thus primarily eliminated by metabolic transformation; however, the rate of metabolism was slow. ...