Patient Medication Information: uses, side effects, how to take - Cubicin
What is CUBICIN®/CUBICIN® RF used for?
CUBICIN®/CUBICIN® RF is used to treat bacterial infections:
- of the skin and soft tissues (patients 1 year and older)
- in the blood (patients 1 year and older)
- certain heart valve infections (patients 18 years and older)
Antibacterial drugs like CUBICIN®/CUBICIN® RF treat only infections caused by bacteria. They do not treat viral infections. Although you may feel better early in treatment, CUBICIN®/CUBICIN® RF should be used exactly as directed. Misuse or overuse of CUBICIN®/CUBICIN® RF could lead to growth of bacteria that will not be killed by CUBICIN®/CUBICIN® RF (resistance). This means that CUBICIN®/CUBICIN® RF may not work for you in the future.
How does CUBICIN®/CUBICIN® RF work?
CUBICIN®/CUBICIN® RF are antibiotics. They work by killing certain bacteria that cause your infection.
What are the ingredients in CUBICIN®?
Medicinal ingredients: Daptomycin
Non-medicinal ingredients: Sodium hydroxide
What are the ingredients in CUBICIN® RF?
Medicinal ingredients: Daptomycin
Non-medicinal ingredients: Sodium hydroxide and sucrose
CUBICIN®/CUBICIN® RF comes in the following dosage forms:
Lyophilized powder for solution available as 500 mg/10 mL vial
Do not use CUBICIN®/CUBICIN® RF if:
- you are allergic to daptomycin.
To help avoid side effects and ensure proper use, talk to your healthcare professional before you take CUBICIN®/CUBICIN® RF. Talk about any health conditions or problems you may have, including if you:
- have kidney or severe liver problems.
- have high blood levels of creatine phosphokinase (CPK).
are pregnant, or planning on becoming pregnant.
are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Breastfeeding should be stopped during treatment
with CUBICIN®/CUBICIN® RF.
- are allergic to any antibiotics or other drugs.
are taking other medications (see The following may interact with CUBICIN®/CUBICIN®
RF).
- have any questions about your treatment, both before and during treatment.
Other warnings you should know about:
Stop taking CUBICIN®/CUBICIN® RF and contact your doctor right away if you:
have severe or lasting diarrhea (bloody or watery) with or without
- fever.
- stomach pain or tenderness.
You may have Clostridium difficile colitis (bowel inflammation).
Tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you take, including any drugs, vitamins, minerals, natural supplements or alternative medicines.
The following may interact with CUBICIN®/CUBICIN® RF:
- Drugs that lower cholesterol (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors also known as “statins” such as atorvastatin, fluvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin, and simvastatin)
- Tobramycin (another antibiotic)
- Blood thinners (warfarin)
How to take CUBICIN®/CUBICIN® RF:
CUBICIN®/CUBICIN® RF will be given intravenously (injected into a vein) by a doctor or nurse in a hospital or clinical setting.
Usual dose:
Adults:
Serious skin infections: The usual adult dose is 4 mg for every kg of body weight. Your dose will be given either as an injection over a 2-minute period or by infusion over a 30-minute period every 24 hours for 7 to 14 days.
Bacterial infections in the blood, including certain heart valve infections: The usual adult dose is 6 mg for every kg of body weight. Your dose will be given either as an injection over a 2-minute period or by infusion over a 30-minute period every 24 hours for 10 to 56 days.
Children:
Your doctor will decide how much CUBICIN® / CUBICIN® RF to give your child based on their age, weight and type of infection.
Serious skin infections:
| Age Group | Dosage* | Duration of Therapy |
| 12 to 17 years | 5 mg/kg once every 24 hours infused over 30 minutes | Up to 14 days |
| 7 to 11 years | 7 mg/kg once every 24 hours infused over 30 minutes | |
| 2 to 6 years | 9 mg/kg once every 24 hours infused over 60 minutes | |
| 1 to less than 2 years | 10 mg/kg once every 24 hours infused over 60 minutes |
Bacterial infections in the blood:
| Age Group | Dosage | Duration of Therapy |
| 12 to 17 years | 7 mg/kg once every 24 hours infused over 30 minutes | Up to 42 days |
| 7 to 11 years | 9 mg/kg once every 24 hours infused over 30 minutes | |
| 1 to 6 years | 12 mg/kg once every 24 hours infused over 60 minutes |
Overdose:
If you think you have taken too much CUBICIN®/CUBICIN® RF, contact your healthcare professional, hospital emergency department or regional poison control centre immediately, even if there are no symptoms.
What are possible side effects from using CUBICIN®/CUBICIN® RF?
These are not all the possible side effects you may feel when taking CUBICIN®/CUBICIN® RF. If you experience any side effects not listed here, contact your healthcare professional.
Common side effects may include:
- headache or dizziness.
- diarrhea or constipation.
- nausea or vomiting.
- rash or itching.
- difficulty sleeping.
Serious side effects and what to do about them
| Symptom / effect | Talk to your healthcare professional | Stop taking drug and get immediate medical help | |
| Only if severe | In all cases | ||
UNCOMMON A serious allergic reaction with symptoms such as:
| X | ||
Pain in the hands and feet with symptoms such as:
| X | ||
| Irregular heartbeat | X | ||
Kidney problems with symptoms such as:
| X | ||
VERY RARE Respiratory problems with symptoms such as:
| X |
If you have a troublesome symptom or side effect that is not listed here or becomes bad enough to interfere with your daily activities, talk to your healthcare professional.
Reporting Side Effects
You can report any suspected side effects associated with the use of health products to Health Canada by:
Visiting the Web page on Adverse Reaction Reporting:
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/medeffect-canada.html
- Calling toll-free at 1-866-234-2345.
NOTE: Contact your health professional if you need information about how to manage your side effects. The Canada Vigilance Program does not provide medical advice.
Storage:
CUBICIN® vials containing lyophilized powder should be stored at 2ºC to 8ºC.
CUBICIN® RF vials containing lyophilized powder should be stored at 15ºC to 30ºC.
Reconstituted solutions are to be used immediately or refrigerated (2ºC to 8ºC) and used within 72 hours, then discarded. Health Care professionals should refer to the Product Monograph for more details.
Keep out of reach and sight of children.
If you want more information about CUBICIN®/CUBICIN® RF:
- Talk to your healthcare professional
- Find this document plus the full product monograph, prepared for health professionals at: http://www.sunovion.ca or by contacting the sponsor, Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc., at: 1-866-260-6291 or by visiting the Health Canada website at: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada.html.