The Dalbavancin as an Option for Treatment of Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia (DOTS) Study has completed enrollment! Despite launching in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the trial reached its goal of enrolling 200 participants with S. aureus bloodstream infections on time in July 2023.  

S. aureus can cause life-threatening, antibiotic-resistant infections that have limited treatment options. The standard treatment typically involves intravenous antibiotic therapy that lasts four to six weeks. This therapy usually requires a central IV catheter and can prolong a patient’s hospital stay or result in admission to a nursing facility for antibiotic administration. 

In contrast, dalbavancin is a long-acting lipoglycopeptide antibiotic that can be administered as two intravenous doses one week apart to provide systemic therapy for six weeks. This strategy eliminates the need for a centrally placed catheter or prolonged IV access for antibiotic administration. While dalbavancin is FDA-approved for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections, its safety and efficacy for the treatment of S. aureus bacteremia has not been rigorously evaluated. The aim of the DOTS study is to test the safety and efficacy of dalbavancin compared to the standard treatment for S. aureus bacteremia.  

Thomas Holland MD, Associate Professor, Duke University School of Medicine, is leading the study, which includes 23 participating sites in the U.S. and Canada.  

“We are thrilled to complete enrollment for the DOTS trial,” said Dr. Holland. “This milestone is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our collaborators at sites across the U.S. and Canada, all of whom conducted the trial in the midst of a pandemic. We anticipate that DOTS will have practice-changing results for the management of S. aureus bacteremia, and we  look forward to sharing the results with the clinical community.”