The FDA has approved Cubist Pharmaceuticals' new drug, Sivextro, for the treatment of acute bacterial skin infections, including those caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
Sivextro is a six-day course of therapy with IV and oral treatment options.
"Sivextro provides physicians with flexibility to transition patients from IV to oral treatment as required," Michael Bonney, CEO of Cubist, said in a news release. "The oral option provides opportunity for out-patient care, which could reduce the need for costly hospitalization."
MRSA is responsible for more than 11,000 American deaths each year, according to Ralph Corey, MD, a professor of medicine and infectious disease at Duke Clinical Research Institute and Duke University Medical Center.
"Not every antibiotic will work for every patient and more drug options are an imperative," he said in the release. "Physicians should evaluate the use of Sivextro. A six-day course of therapy with the option to choose — and, if needed, change — from IV to oral administration is a welcome new development."
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