Targocid 200 mg, powder and solvent for solution: profile, composition and research

Reference page for Targocid 200 mg, powder and solvent for solution. Active substance: Тейкопланин / Teicoplanin.

Key facts

What teicoplanin is

Targocid is an antibacterial medicine whose active substance is teicoplanin. Chemically it is a glycopeptide, which places it in the same family as vancomycin, long familiar to clinicians.

It is supplied as a powder in a vial together with a solvent. Each vial holds 200 mg of teicoplanin, corresponding to not less than 200,000 IU. The powder is dissolved in water for injections; once dissolved, the active substance is contained in a volume of 3.0 ml.

The excipients of the powder are sodium chloride and sodium hydroxide, the latter used to adjust acidity. The manufacturer is Sanofi Winthrop Industrie, France.

How teicoplanin works

The target

Teicoplanin binds a precursor of the bacterial cell wall and prevents the bacterium from assembling a complete envelope. Without that support the cell cannot withstand internal pressure and dies. The effect is described as bactericidal.

Activity spectrum

The medicine acts mainly on Gram-positive organisms: staphylococci, streptococci, enterococci and several others. It does not affect most Gram-negative bacteria, which is why in mixed flora it is usually combined with other agents.

Where it sits in therapy

Glycopeptides are brought in when the organism is resistant to other antibiotic classes or when the patient cannot tolerate penicillins. This is a reserve option, not a first-choice drug for ordinary infections.

Approved uses

The prescribing information lists bacterial infections caused by susceptible Gram-positive organisms. These include infections of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, of bones and joints, of the lower respiratory tract, of the urinary tract and of the abdominal cavity.

Peritonitis, sepsis and endocarditis appear separately in the list. Another direction concerns infection linked to Clostridium difficile: for that case the dissolved powder may be taken by mouth.

The medicine is used in adults and in children, including newborns. The route of administration, the length of the course and the need to combine it with other antibiotics are decided by a physician after assessment.

Monitoring during treatment

Teicoplanin is eliminated through the kidneys, so in reduced kidney function the regimen is adjusted by a physician. During treatment, laboratory checks are used to assess kidney and liver function and the platelet count.

A frequent reaction noted in the labelling is redness of the upper half of the body, known as red man syndrome. It is most often linked to the administration of the medicine rather than to allergy, and resolves on its own.

Less common are allergic reactions up to severe ones, as well as a fall in platelet count. The medicine is not used in hypersensitivity to teicoplanin or to any of the components. Any unusual symptom during treatment should be reported to a doctor.

Published research

Primary sources, verified against PubMed:

• Clinical practice guidelines for therapeutic drug monitoring of teicoplanin: a consensus review by the Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and the Japanese Society of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring., PubMed 35022752 (J Antimicrob Chemother, 2022).
• Oral teicoplanin administration suppresses recurrence of Clostridioides difficile infection: Proof of concept., PubMed 37879532 (Anaerobe, 2023).
• Teicoplanin in gram-positive infection: microbiological aspects., PubMed 8365463 (Eur J Haematol Suppl, 1993).

Listed for reference. Publication of a study is not a claim about this particular product.

Precautions

• This is a prescription medicine. Prescribing, dosing and monitoring belong to a physician.
• Before treatment starts, tell your doctor about allergy to vancomycin, a low platelet count and any impairment of kidney function.
• During treatment, laboratory checks may be performed to assess kidney and liver function.
• Use during pregnancy or breastfeeding is discussed with a doctor individually.
• Tell your doctor about every other medicine you take: interactions are possible, including with drugs that affect hearing and the kidneys.
• An unfinished course of an antibacterial helps resistant bacteria spread. The length of treatment is set by a physician.

Frequently asked