Cilofungin (LY121019) is an antifungal agent that interferes with beta-glucan synthesis in the cells walls of fungi. The activity of this agent against 256 clinical isolates of yeasts was determined. It was found to be very active in vitro against Candida albicans (MIC for 90% of isolates [MIC90], less than or equal to 0.31 microgram/ml; minimal fungicidal concentration for 90% of isolates [MFC90], less than or equal to 0.31 micrograms/ml) and C. tropicalis (MIC90, less than or equal to 0.31 microgram/ml; MFC90, less than or equal to 0.31 microgram/ml) and moderately active against Torulopsis glabrata (MIC90 and MFC90, less than or equal to 20 micrograms/ml). All C. parapsilosis, Cryptococcus, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains were resistant. The activity of cilofungin was affected by medium and inoculum size. Antibiotic medium no. 3 was used as the standard medium. Isolates of C. albicans and C. tropicalis demonstrated a paradoxical effect in Sabouraud dextrose broth and yeast nitrogen base broth in that growth was partially inhibited at MICs equivalent to those in antibiotic medium no. 3, but growth continued, in many instances, throughout all concentrations tested. There was decreased activity of cilofungin with inocula greater than 10(5) CFU/ml. The temperature and duration of incubation did not affect its activity.