Daptomycin: a lipopeptide antibiotic for the treatment of serious Gram-positive infections

Abstract

Infections caused by drug-resistant pathogens are on the rise. Daptomycin, a cyclic lipopeptide with activity against most Gram-positive pathogens, including vancomycin-resistant enterococci and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is a newly US-FDA approved antimicrobial for complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSI). Daptomycin has a unique mechanism of action that results in destruction of the membrane potential. The rapid bactericidal activity of daptomycin makes it an attractive antibiotic for serious Gram-positive infections.