Daptomycin
Aliases: Cubicin
Last verified: 2026-09-23
The short version
A cyclic lipopeptide — reserve antibiotic for MRSA, VRE and complicated skin/bloodstream infections.
Identity & type
- Molecular type
- peptide
- Origin
- A cyclic lipopeptide — reserve antibiotic for MRSA, VRE and complicated skin/bloodstream infections.
Mechanism of action
Ca2+-dependently inserts into bacterial membranes → depolarization and gram-positive death.
Dosing & routes
Official / clinical context
Approved drug — indications, dosing and warnings are defined by the official label. 4–6 mg/kg IV daily.
Regulator-approved labeling and published study designs — never a recommendation.
Community-reported practice
4–6 mg/kg IV daily. Cubicin: a lifesaver in severe MRSA infections; hospital IV drug, CPK (muscle) monitoring.
Unverified self-reports. Not medical advice. Not endorsement.
Expected effects (community)
Cubicin: a lifesaver in severe MRSA infections; hospital IV drug, CPK (muscle) monitoring.
Protocol — official vs community
Official / label
Cubicin (complicated skin/soft-tissue infection; S. aureus bacteremia / right-sided endocarditis): 4 mg/kg IV once daily for cSSTI, 6 mg/kg IV once daily for bacteremia/endocarditis.
Duration: 7–14 days (cSSTI); up to 6 weeks (endocarditis/bacteremia) per response. Dose-adjust in renal impairment.
The labeled constraint is the one people forget: daptomycin is inactivated by pulmonary surfactant — it must not be used for pneumonia. Weekly CPK monitoring guards against myopathy.
Community (anecdotal)
Structured protocol data for this entry is coming.
Human evidence
Approved 2003; standard for resistant gram-positive infections.
Preclinical evidence
The preclinical phase was completed and submitted to regulators as part of registration; pharmacology and toxicology details are part of the official label.
Known risks
- Myopathy (CPK monitoring), rare eosinophilic pneumonia.characterized
Teal: characterized in clinical/labeling contexts. Amber: theoretical or reported outside controlled settings.
Unknowns & evidence gaps
- Real-world data outside controlled trials