Cubist stops R&D on cardiac surgery drug

Cubist Pharmaceuticals is planning to stop investing in the clinical development of CB-500,929 (ecallantide) as a therapy to reduce blood loss in patients undergoing cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass.

The Lexington, Mass.-based company said it made the decision after reviewing the efficacy and safety data from the CB-500,929 Phase 2 CONSERV 1 and CONSERV 2 trials. “This decision does not impact the 2010 R&D cost guidance announced by the company in January 2010 as the guidance did not include costs for potential development of CB-500,929 beyond the CONSERV trials,” the company added.

Given its decision to end the development of CB-500,929, Cubist also said it intends to terminate the 2008 agreement with Dyax under which Cubist in-licensed development and commercialization rights to CB-500,929 for surgical indications in the U.S. and the European Union, in accordance with the terms of the agreement.

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