Deferasirox, an iron-chelating agent, as salvage therapy for rhinocerebral mucormycosis.

Iron availability is a critical factor in the growth of Mucorales (5). Here we report the novel use of deferasirox (Exjade; Novartis), an iron chelator recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of transfusionrelated iron overload (3), as salvage therapy for a patient with progressive rhinocerebral mucormycosis. A 40-year-old man presented to an outside hospital with diabetic ketoacidosis, left retrobulbar pain, and a left cranial nerve VI palsy. The patient developed complete left ophthalmoplegia, blindness, and worsening proptosis. He received amphotericin B lipid complex, but no surgery was performed. The patient was transferred to our institution on day 14 and