Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc announced the availability of a Compassionate Use Protocol for its investigational antibiotic Cidecin (daptomycin for injection). The Compassionate Use Protocol is designed to treat patients with Gram positive bacterial infections that are resistant to currently available antibiotics, or who are refractory to, intolerant of, or contraindicated to receive currently available therapies.

A New Drug Application (NDA) for Cidecin is currently under priority review with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria.

Scott M. Rocklage, Chairman & CEO of Cubist commented: "Compassionate Use Protocols are part of an effort by the FDA and the pharmaceutical industry to make investigational drugs available during the later stages of clinical development for the treatment of serious or life-threatening diseases. We are very pleased to be initiating this protocol to allow those in need access to Cidecin."