Teicoplanin A2-1 is one of the main components of a lipoglycopeptide antibiotic, teicoplanin. Teicoplanin was first approved for marketing in Italy as Targocid, consisting of six closely related glycopeptide subcomponents (A2-1 to A2-5 and A3). Targocid is indicated in adults and in children from birth for the parenteral treatment of the following infections: complicated skin and soft tissue infections, bone and joint infections, hospital-acquired pneumonia, community acquired pneumonia, complicated urinary tract infections, infective endocarditis, peritonitis associated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), bacteraemia that occurs in association with any of the indications listed above. Targocid is also indicated as an alternative oral treatment for Clostridium difficile infection-associated diarrhea and colitis. Where appropriate, teicoplanin should be administered in combination with other antibacterial agents. Teicoplanin inhibits the growth of susceptible organisms by interfering with cell-wall biosynthesis at a site different from that affected by beta-lactams, by binding to the D-Ala-D-Ala C-terminus of peptidoglycan precursors.