Cubist says label expansion distinguishes Cubicin in infectious disease market

By Jennifer Lanning Drey

Eugene, Ore., June 12 - Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s recently approved label expansion for Cubicin (daptomycin for injection) has allowed the company to distinguish the drug among other infectious disease products and increased its sales potential, according to Mike Bonney, president and chief executive officer of Cubist.

"This is the first time that a product has received this indication based on a prospective, randomized control clinical study and provides our sales force, for the first time, with the opportunity to differentiate Cubicin in the infectious disease marketplace, said Bonney on Monday at the Pacific Growth Equities Life Science Growth Conference.

Prior to the label expansion, the drug was approved for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections caused by gram-positive organisms. Bonney said Cubicin shared that market with many other treatment options.

The Food and Drug Administration approved Cubist's supplemental New Drug Application for Cubicin as once-a-day therapy at 6 mg/kg for the treatment of staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections (bacteremia) in late May.

Cubicin is the only intravenous antibiotic approved for the indication based on the results of a prospective, randomized, controlled registration trial.

"I believe with this new indication, we can grow Cubicin at significant rates over the foreseeable future," said Bonney.

During the first quarter, Cubist increased its sales force to 135 people from 99, he said.

With the new label, internal medicine physicians represent a very important target audience for Cubist, and the company believes its sales call audience within hospitals has doubled, he said.

"The market opportunity for this drug, unfortunately, is very large and expanding at a rapid pace," he said, referring to the growing number of patients suffering from infections that could be treated with Cubicin.

Focus on pipeline

Cubist will focus on its pipeline progress in the second half of the year, according to Bonney.

The company plans to deliver its first internally generated Investigational New Drug candidate, which will be a second-generation lipopeptide, by the end of the year, he said.

"We are looking at every range of antibacterial, across the spectrum, to bring into the organization and apply our competences to develop," Bonney said.

The company also intends to look for a new range of molecules that have activity against bacterial pneumonia, he said.

Cubist is a Lexington, Mass., biopharmaceutical company.

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