1,600 feet under the earth lies the secret antibiotic - CBST & OPTR

Northern, WI 02/28/2013 (avauncer) - A remote cave, a microbiologist and a drug-resistant bacteria hidden 1,600 feet below the earth’s surface. Hazel Barton a Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:CBST) microbiologist has found a bacteria with drug-resistant properties which might prove to be a find that will help in extending the life of Cubicin, Cubist’s largest-selling antibiotic. Close to 93 percent of Cubist’s revenue comes from this drug and it drew in $859.7 in 2012. Since 2012 the company’s shares have more than doubled. Barton works as an associate professor with Ohio’s University of Akron. The bacteria does not have any resistant properties at the moment but Barton says that they have a fair idea about what the resistance will look like 20 years down the line.

Deep in New Mexico

The Lechuguilla Cave was opened in 1986, is located in Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico has hardly seen any humans and the fact that it holds the key to a possibly powerful antibiotic is a path-breaking find. New antibiotic development is slowing down and superbugs have been evolving at super-speed. There will soon come a time when all known antibiotics will be ineffective in curing even simple afflictions such as the common cold. Hardly any drugmakers turn to nature any longer for drug discovery and Cubist is teaming with Barton in the hope that it may be the key to improving its share in the branded antibiotics market which was estimated to be $9.5 billion in the year 2011.

Antibiotic specialists

Cubicin also called daptomycin is a result of wilderness research similar to the one that Barton is interested in. It was discovered in the dormant volcano, Mount Ararat in eastern Turkey. This drug is highly effective against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus or MRSA. This bug commonly affects those working in a hospital environment and has now evolved to such a degree that it is resistant to most other medicines. When all other drugs fail Cubicin is prescribed by doctors. Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:CBST) specializes in intravenous antibiotic treatment drug manufacture and over half of its discovery budget is spent in the search of new antibiotics in labs and in nature.

Government giving science a push

The company also partners with Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc (NASDAQ:OPTR) in the manufacture of Dificid and is also involved in the development of two other antibacterials. Entereg is another one of its marketed drugs and is used in colon cancer treatment. At a time when many other much larger drug companies are pulling back in the antibiotics field, Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:CBST) is forging ahead. Most find the ROI on antibiotics insufficient and inadequate. The Congress had passed a law last year in an endeavor to encourage the development of new and novel bug-biting medicines.

The Infectious Diseases Society of America launched the “10X20 Initiative” to hasten the development of antibiotics and bring new products into the market by 2020. Oblivious to all these things, Barton will soon be back at Lechuguilla and its over 120 miles of tunnels and Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:CBST) is backing her in the hope that her caving expeditions will lead them towards new findings and developments.

Shares of Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:CBST) went up by 1.89% to close at $41.55

Shares of Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc (NASDAQ:OPTR) went up by 13.15% to close at $12.13