The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new antibiotic, made by Cubist Pharmaceuticals, for treatment of adults with complicated urinary tract infections and complicated intra-abdominal infections.
The antibiotic, called Zerbaxa, is the first new antibiotic approved in the U.S. under the Generating Antibiotic Incentives Now Act to treat Gram-negative bacteria.
"Today is an important day for patients, and we are very pleased to arm physicians with Zerbaxa in the battle against Gram-negative bacteria, where few treatment options exist," said Robert Perez, president and COO of Cubist.
This is the fourth new antibacterial drug approved by the FDA this year, and the second one from Cubist. That makes it the first time this century a company has delivered two new FDA-approved antibiotics in one year.