Cubist Pharmaceuticals Begins Shipping Cubicin to U.S. Hospitals
LEXINGTON, Mass. -- Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has begun shipping its flagship antibiotic product, Cubicin (daptomycin for injection), to U.S. hospitals. Cubist received U.S. Food & Drug Administration marketing approval for Cunicin on Sept. 12, 2003.
Cubicin is indicated for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSI) caused by gram-positive bacteria, including those caused by MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and MSSA (methicillin-susceptible S. aureus). Cubicin is currently the only once-daily rapidly bactericidal antibiotic proven effective against both MRSA and MSSA.
Cubicin is an antibacterial agent from a new class of antibiotics called cyclic lipopeptides, and has clinical utility in the treatment of infections caused by aerobic gram-positive bacteria. The in vitro spectrum of activity of Cubicin encompasses most clinically relevant gram-positive pathogenic bacteria, including bacterial isolates resistant to methicillin, vancomycin and linezolid. In the U.S., MRSA now accounts for nearly 60 percent of staphylococcal infections in hospitals, and the incidence of MRSA in the community is on the rise as well.
To reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of Cubicin and other antibacterial drugs, Cubicin should be used only to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by bacteria. Patients receiving Cubicin should be observed for the development of muscle pain or weakness and have creatine phosphokinase (CPK) levels monitored weekly. Cubicin is not indicated for the treatment of pneumonia. The most commonly reported adverse events in the cSSSI clinical trials in adults were constipation, nausea and headache.
Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the research, development and commercialization of anti-infective drugs.
Source: Cubist Pharmaceuticals
CDC Urges Vigilance: New Recommendations for Monitoring and Testing H5N1 Exposures
July 11th 2025With avian influenza A(H5N1) infections surfacing in both animals and humans, the CDC has issued updated guidance calling for aggressive monitoring and targeted testing to contain the virus and protect public health.
IP LifeLine: Layoffs and the Evolving Job Market Landscape for Infection Preventionists
July 11th 2025Infection preventionists, once hailed as indispensable during the pandemic, now face a sobering reality: budget pressures, hiring freezes, and layoffs are reshaping the field, leaving many IPs worried about their future and questioning their value within health care organizations.
A Helping Hand: Innovative Approaches to Expanding Hand Hygiene Programs in Acute Care Settings
July 9th 2025Who knew candy, UV lights, and a college kid in scrubs could double hand hygiene adherence? A Pennsylvania hospital’s creative shake-up of its infection prevention program shows that sometimes it takes more than soap to get hands clean—and keep them that way.
