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Antibiotic — Lipopeptide

Daptomycin (Burns — MRSA/VRE)

Brand names: Cubicin

Daptomycin is an intravenous cyclic lipopeptide antibiotic used for serious Gram-positive infections, including MRSA and vancomycin-resistant enterococci, relevant to bacteraemia and soft-tissue infection in burns patients.

Dosing — being independently re-sourced

ClinCalc Pro is rebuilding its dose data from primary open sources — the manufacturer SmPC (eMC), the WHO Model Formulary and other official references — under clinician review. This drug's structured dose is not yet published here. Confirm all doses against the product SmPC and your local formulary before prescribing.

Clinical monograph

How it works

It inserts into the Gram-positive cell membrane in a calcium-dependent manner, causing rapid depolarisation and loss of membrane potential leading to bacterial death.

Prescribing in practice

  • Daptomycin is inactivated by pulmonary surfactant and must not be used to treat pneumonia.
  • It can cause myopathy and rhabdomyolysis, so creatine kinase should be monitored and concurrent statins considered carefully.
  • Eosinophilic pneumonia is a recognised adverse effect that should be suspected with new fever, dyspnoea, and infiltrates during therapy.

Monitoring

Monitor creatine kinase regularly and review for muscle symptoms and new respiratory features during treatment.

Counselling the patient

  • This antibiotic targets resistant Gram-positive infections.
  • Report muscle pain or weakness, or any new breathlessness, to the team.

Evidence & guidelines

Daptomycin is established for Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia and right-sided endocarditis and as an option for MRSA and VRE infections.

Reference: EUCAST/ESCMID Daptomycin Guidelines; BBA Burns Infection Guidelines; Drug verified in RxNorm (NLM); confirm dosing against the manufacturer SPC (eMC). Verify against your local formulary and current prescribing references before prescribing. Monograph status: clinician-reviewed (2026-07-04).

Related

Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.

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