First in a novel class of antibiotic for infection treatment
An antibiotic able to reduce the likely resistance of developing infections has won clinical support at a hospital in Scotland.
An antibiotic able to reduce the likely resistance of developing infections has won clinical support at a hospital in Scotland.
Cubicin Daptomycin, from Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK, has a rapidly bactericidal mode of action and can be used for the treatment of bloodstream and heart infections.
Its (1) once daily dosing and tolerability profile, with no need for therapeutic drug monitoring, has the potential to simplify the management of patients with complicated infections.
According to Dr Andrew Seaton, consultant in infectious diseases at Gartnavel general hospital in Glasgow, serious staphylococcal infections are extremely challenging for hospital specialists to treat, with about 40% in the UK now resistant to first line therapy.
"Daptomycin is a fast acting agent in these potentially difficult situations and is well tolerated by patients," he said. "This is an extremely important and welcomed development in the battle against serious MRSA infection."
Daptomycin (2) is one of only two new classes of antibiotic in over 20 years that has been shown to be as effective as existing agents in treating a range of serious gram-positive infections.
The drug is already approved for the treatment of complicated skin and soft tissue infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus and other Gram positive bacteria, including MRSA. (2) Clinical trials in cSSTI showed daptomycin had a faster time to cure (63% of patients successfully treated with daptomycin achieved a clinical cure within four to seven days versus 33% with comparators such as vancomyin and anti-staphylococcal penicillins. (3)
Daptomycin was first approved in the UK in March 2006.