Unanimous FDA advisory panel backing for Cubist’s Sivextro

The US Food and Drug Administration’s Anti-Infective Drugs Advisory Committee (AIDAC) on Monday voted unanimously (14-0) to recommend approval of Cubist Pharmaceutical’s (Nasdaq: CBST) investigational antibiotic Sivextro (tedizolid phosphate), for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) was provided.

Investor reaction was positive with Cubist’s share rising 4.3% to close at $73.15. Cubist acquired Sivextro last year with its $707 million purchase of Trius Therapeutics (The Pharma Letter July 31, 2013), when it also bought Optimer Pharmaceuticals, to gain access to another product, Dificid (fidaxomicin).

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