Understanding Dalvance: A Powerful Antibiotic for Treating Skin Infections

Dalvance is a prescription antibiotic for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) caused by specific bacteria. If you have ABSSSI, Dalvance can be a very good option for you because of its strong effectiveness. In this article, we will take a deep dive into this medication and discuss its dosing, side effects, cost, and more.

What Is Dalvance?

Dalvance (dalbavancin) is an FDA-approved antibiotic drug that fights bacteria. The FDA first approved this drug on May 23, 2014 [1]. It can treat acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI). However, you can only use this drug to treat infections caused by specific bacteria. If used excessively, this medication can lead to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Dalvance works by stopping the bacteria from forming their cell walls, which leads to the death of the bacteria. This drug is very effective in stopping infection when used correctly. 

What Is Dalvance Used To Treat?

Dalvance (dalbavancin) is a prescription antibiotic drug used to treat adults and children with acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) caused by specific bacteria. ABSSSI are serious bacterial infections that affect the skin and the underlying tissues. These infections can cause symptoms like redness, swelling, pain and tenderness, fever and chills, blisters, and sores.

You can only use Dalvance when the ABSSSI is proven to be caused by or highly suspected to be caused by some specific strains of Gram-positive microorganisms [2]. These microorganisms include: 

• Staphylococcus aureus (including methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant isolates)
• Streptococcus pyogenes
• Streptococcus agalactiae
• Streptococcus dysgalactiae
• The streptococcus anginosus group (including S. anginosus, S. intermedius, S. constellatus) 
• Enterococcus faecalis (vancomycin susceptible isolates)

Dalvance comes with the risk of developing drug-resistant bacteria. To reduce this risk and to maintain the effectiveness of this medication and other antibiotics, you should only use Dalvance to treat or prevent infections caused by the microorganisms listed above.

How Does It Work?

The active ingredient is dalbavancin, which is an antibiotic. This drug works by preventing bacteria from creating their protective outer layer (the cell wall) [2]. Without this outer layer, bacteria can not survive and eventually die.  

How Is Dalvance Administered?

Dalvance is administered via intravenous infusion over a period of 30 minutes in order to minimize the chances of infusion-related reactions.

Side Effects

Dalvance can have side effects that range from mild to severe. If you encounter any severe side effects, you should immediately consult your provider.  

Below are some of the mild and severe side effects of this medication [3]:

Mild Side Effects

Mild side effects include:

• Nausea
• Headache
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Infusion site reactions such as pain, swelling, or redness at the injection site

These mild side effects only last a few hours to a few days. However, consult your healthcare provider if these side effects do not go away or worsen.

Severe Side Effects

The severe side effects include:

• Hypersensitivity Reactions: Dalvance can cause life-threatening severe allergic reactions and skin problems. If you are allergic to glycopeptide antibiotics, you should be careful when using this drug. This is because you are more likely to have an allergic reaction. Stop using Dalvance immediately if you experience any allergic reactions.

• Clostridioides Difficile-Associated Diarrhea (CDAD): Dalvance can cause a type of diarrhea whose severity ranges from mild to fatal.

• Liver Problems: In some cases, this medication can damage the liver.

• Development of Drug-Resistant Bacteria: Dalvance is only effective for certain bacteria. You should only use it when the presence of certain specific bacteria is proven or highly suspected. Otherwise, it increases the risk of developing drug-resistant bacteria.

Please note that this list does not contain all the possible side effects. Consult your doctor immediately if you encounter any severe side effects.

Dosing

Dalvance can be used in both adults and children. Your doctor will give you Dalvance as an intravenous infusion into a vein (IV). The infusion will take about 30 minutes to complete. Below are the usual recommended dosages that a doctor may prescribe for adults and children [2]:

Dosage in Adult Patients: The recommended dose is 1,500 mg in a single-dose regimen. In a double-dose regimen, the recommended dose is 1,000 mg, followed one week later by 500 mg.

Dosage in Children: Dalvance is given to children as a single intravenous infusion dose. For children whose age is less than 6 years, the recommended dose is 22.5 mg per kg of body weight. For children aged between 6 to 18 years, the recommended dose is 18 mg per kg of body weight. 

Remember that the dosages given above are the commonly prescribed dosages. Your doctor may recommend a different dosage depending on your situation. So, be sure to consult your doctor and follow their instructions.

Cost

Dalvance is available as a powder for injection with a dose strength of 500 mg. The price of one vial containing 500 mg is about $1,883 [4]. A single-dose regimen of may require up to a 1,500 mg infusion in adult patients. The total cost of treatment can therefore be about $5,649. However, the actual cost varies depending on your location, insurance coverage, treatment plan, and the pharmacy you visit. Contact AmeriPharma® if you are interested in receiving copay assistance for Dalvance.

FAQs About Dalvance

Here are some frequently asked questions about Dalvance:

1. Does Dalvance cause hair loss?

No. It does not cause hair loss. In clinical trials, hair loss was not reported as a side effect. However, you may want to consult your doctor if you experience hair loss after taking this medication.

2. Is it safe to use Dalvance during pregnancy or breastfeeding?

There is still not enough data to verify the safety of using Dalvance during pregnancy and breastfeeding [2]. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, please consult your doctor about the potential risks and benefits before using this medication.    

3. Can I use Dalvance if I have liver problems?

Yes, you can. But you have to be careful. If you have moderate to severe liver problems, your doctor may have to adjust your dose. This is because there is not enough data about the safety of Dalvance in these conditions [3].

4. What are the clinical benefits?

According to the results of clinical trials, the majority of patients treated with Dalvance stopped the spread of their skin infection and their fever in two to three days [2].