Vibativ® Effectively Helps Treat Secondary Bacterial Infections In COVID-19 Patients

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Jun 21, 2021, 09:20 ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --Cumberland Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CPIX), a specialty pharmaceutical company, today released a series of case reports describing the effectiveness of Vibativ^® (telavancin) in treating secondary bacterial infections in COVID-19 patients – particularly those with other significant health problems, such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

The dossier of patient case studies outlines five real-world instances where Vibativ effectively and safely treated hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia in COVID-19 patients. These types of pneumonia result from serious staph infections, such as methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

"We have seen that the timely and appropriate use of potent antibiotics such as Vibativ can improve patient outcomes and even be life-saving," said A.J. Kazimi, chief executive officer of Cumberland Pharmaceuticals. "In patients with underlying conditions, mortality risk from COVID and bacterial pneumonia can be especially high. Cumberland is proud to offer an injectable antibiotic that can provide a rapid resolution to the bacterial infection."

Dr. Joseph Reilly, a clinical pharmacist specialist for infectious disease and critical care at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Pomona, N.J., provided two COVID-19 patient cases for the dossier. Both patients had diabetes, heart disease and other underlying health conditions. One patient presented with MSSA hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia (HABP) and the other with MRSA ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia (VABP).

"In these patients, bacterial pneumonia developed and likely contributed to their failure to improve clinically," said Dr. Reilly. "Within 48 hours of switching antibiotic therapy to telavancin, blood cultures were clear of MSSA and MRSA. These cases illustrate the clear need for an antibiotic like telavancin, which rapidly and effectively eradicates secondary bacterial pneumonia that can develop in patients with COVID."

Cumberland's Vibativ (telavancin) has been used across the country to help COVID-19 patients who develop secondary bacterial infections in their lungs. The five case studies in Cumberland's dossier illustrate that once-daily dosing of telavancin can effectively and safely treat HABP or VABP due to Gram-positive infection among COVID-19 patients.

Vibativ is a patented, FDA-approved injectable anti-infective for the treatment of certain serious bacterial infections including HABP and VABP that can result from COVID-19, flu and other infections. It is also approved for complicated skin and skin structure infections. It addresses a range of Gram-positive bacterial pathogens, including those that are considered difficult-to-treat and multidrug-resistant.

In March 2020, Cumberland announced an initiative to expand the availability of Vibativ to treat HABP and VABP in COVID patients across the U.S., which included the opportunity for healthcare facilities to make special financial arrangements to help ensure supply. The company also sponsored a national program with infectious disease experts to provide information on the management of complicated respiratory infections resulting from COVID-19.

About Cumberland Pharmaceuticals

Cumberland Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the delivery of high-quality prescription brands to improve patient care. The company develops, acquires and commercializes brands for the hospital acute care, gastroenterology and rheumatology market segments. These medical specialties are categorized by moderately concentrated prescriber bases that the company believes can be penetrated effectively by targeted sales forces. The company's portfolio of FDA-approved brands includes:

Caldolor^® (ibuprofen) Injection, for the treatment of pain and fever;
Kristalose^® (lactulose) for Oral Solution, a prescription laxative, for the treatment of constipation;
Vibativ^® (telavancin) Injection, for the treatment of certain serious bacterial infections including hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia, as well as complicated skin and skin structure infections;
RediTrex^® (methotrexate) Injection, for the treatment of active rheumatoid, juvenile idiopathic and severe psoriatic arthritis, as well as disabling psoriasis;
Vaprisol^® (conivaptan) Injection, to raise serum sodium levels in hospitalized patients with euvolemic and hypervolemic hyponatremia;
Omeclamox^®-Pak, (omeprazole, clarithromycin, amoxicillin) for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and related duodenal ulcer disease; and
Acetadote^® (acetylcysteine) Injection, for the treatment of acetaminophen poisoning.

For more information on Cumberland's approved products, including full prescribing information, please visit links to the individual product websites, which can be found on the company's website www.cumberlandpharma.com.

The company has Phase II clinical programs underway evaluating its ifetroban product candidates in patients with cardiomyopathy associated with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy ("DMD"), Systemic Sclerosis ("SSc"), and Aspirin-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease ("AERD").

SOURCE Cumberland Pharmaceuticals Inc.