daptomycin

daptomycin

Summary

Daptomycin is a cyclic lipopeptide antibiotic used to treat complicated skin and skin structure infections by susceptible Gram-positive bacteria and bacteremia due to Staphylococcus aureus.

Brand Names

Generic NameDaptomycin

Background

Daptomycin is a cyclic lipopeptide antibacterial agent with a broad spectrum of activity against Gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-susceptible and -resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA/MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE).^7,8,21 Chemically, daptomycin comprises 13 amino acids, including several non-standard and D-amino acids, with the C-terminal 10 amino acids forming an ester-linked ring and the N-terminal tryptophan covalently bonded to decanoic acid.^6,21 Daptomycin was first discovered in the early 1980s by researchers at Eli Lilly in soil samples from Mount Ararat in Turkey.⁸ Early work on developing daptomycin was abandoned due to observed myopathy but was resumed in 1997 when Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc. licensed daptomycin; it was found that a once-daily dosing scheme reduced side effects while retaining efficacy.⁷

Daptomycin was approved by the FDA on September 12, 2003, and is marketed under the name CUBICIN® by Cubist Pharmaceuticals LLC (Merck & Co.).²¹

Weight  Average: 1620.693
Monoisotopic: 1619.71036644

Chemical Formula: C₇₂H₁₀₁N₁₇O₂₆