Monday, January 5, 2009

Cubist files INDs for infection treatments

By Mass High Tech staff

Lexington-based Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced it has filed two Investigational New Drug applications with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The INDs include CB-182,804, Cubist’s drug treatment of multi-drug resistant Gram-negative infections, and the CB-183,315, for treatment of Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea (CDAD).

If not addressed, Gram-negative infections can lead to pneumonia, blood stream infections, urinary tract infections and intra-abdominal infections. And Cubist (Nasdaq:CBST) officials said CDAD cases are on the rise because of a new strain of Clostridium difficile.

Cubist reported a 45 percent jump in third quarter 2008 revenue over the same period the previous year. Cubist had $76.3 million in Q3 2007 compared with $110.6 million in 2008.

In September, Cubist opened a 35,000-square-foot research facility at the company’s headquarters in Lexington. The facility, constructed of environmentally friendly materials, adds enough lab space to fit an additional 100 people, officials said.