Optimer Pharmaceuticals and Cubist Pharmaceuticals Announce Collaboration to Co-Promote DIFICID for Clostridium difficile Infection in the United States

Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. OPTR and Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. CBST today announced the signing of an exclusive two-year co-promotion agreement to market DIFICID (fidaxomicin), in the United States. DIFICID is a novel antibiotic currently being reviewed for market approval by the FDA for the treatment of Clostridium difficile infection, which is also known as Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea. On April 5, 2011, the FDA's Anti-Infective Drugs Advisory Committee voted unanimously that the clinical evidence submitted by Optimer demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of DIFICID for the treatment of CDI, thereby recommending approval of DIFICID as a treatment for CDI. The FDA is expected to complete its review of DIFICID and deliver a decision on market approval by a Prescription Drug User Fee Act goal date of May 30, 2011.