Daptomycin: a new treatment for insidious infections due to gram-positive pathogens.

Daptomycin, a new lipopeptide antibiotic, is highly bactericidal against the majority of Grampositive human pathogens, including methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vanco mycin-resistant enterococci. Its mechanism of action is unique resulting in the destruction of the membrane potential without lysing the cell wall. The mechanism of action of daptomycin, its antibacterial spectrum, the development of resistance and preand clinical studies are discussed in this review.