Patient Information Sheet
Daptomycin (marketed as Cubicin)

PDF Print Version

This is a summary of the most important information about Cubicin. For details, talk to your healthcare professional.

What is Cubicin used for? 

Cubicin is an antibiotic medicine used in adults to treat:

• complicated skin infections caused by certain strains of bacteria.
• bloodstream infections (bacteremia) caused by Staphylococcus aureus (a type of bacteria).

Cubicin is given by an intravenous infusion (I.V.) into a vein. Cubicin is not for the treatment of pneumonia. Cubicin has not been studied in children under 18 years of age.

Who should not be treated with Cubicin?

Do not use Cubicin if you are allergic to Cubicin or any of its ingredients. 

Special Warnings with Cubicin:

Cubicin may cause serious muscle damage. Your doctor may do blood tests to check for muscle damage while you are on Cubicin. If you get muscle pain or weakness, especially in your arms or legs, while on Cubicin, tell your doctor right away. 

Cubicin may affect nerve conduction. Tell your doctor if you get tingling, numbness, burning, increased sensitivity, weakness or any unusual feelings in your body while on Cubicin. 

Cubicin, like other antibiotic medicines may cause pseudomembranous colitis, an overgrowth of other bacteria in your colon. Tell your doctor right away if you get diarrhea.

What should I tell my doctor or healthcare provider?

Tell your doctor or healthcare provider if you: 

• have or had kidney problems 
• are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breast-feeding 

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Cubicin and other medicines may affect each other, causing serious side effects. Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take: 

• tobramycin, another antibiotic 
• warfarin (Coumadin), a blood thinner 
• medicines called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, which lower cholesterol

What are some possible side effects of Cubicin (This list is NOT a complete list of side effects reported with Cubicin. Your healthcare provider can discuss with you a more complete list of side effects.)

Some common side effects with Cubicin include: 

• constipation 
• nausea 
• injection site reactions 
• headache 
• diarrhea

For more detailed information about Cubicin, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

Link to Cubicin's Approved Labeling

PDF requires the free Adobe Acrobat Reader

Back to Top     Back to Drug Index

Date Created: December 9, 2003; Date Updated: December 13, 2006

CDER Home Page | CDER Site Info | Contact CDER | What's New @ CDER
FDA Home Page | Search FDA Site | FDA A-Z Index | Contact FDA | Privacy | Accessibility | HHS Home Page

FDA/Center for Drug Evaluation and Research