Cubist discontinues ecallantide

Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:CBST) discontinued development of ecallantide ( CB-500,929) after reviewing top-line data from the double-blind CONSERV-1 and CONSERV-2 Phase II trials to reduce blood loss during on-pump cardiac surgery. In CONSERV-1, IV ecallantide showed no improvement in blood loss as measured by the need for transfusion of blood and blood products vs. placebo. The U.S. trial enrolled 249 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery while on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

In CONSERV-2, a dose of about 75 mg IV ecallantide showed no treatment benefit and led to a significantly higher rate of mortality compared to the tranexamic acid control arm. The European trial enrolled 218 patients undergoing cardiac surgery while on CPB for procedures including repeat sternotomy, CABG plus valve replacement and more than one valve replacement. In December, Cubist ended enrollment early in the trials after a DSMB observed the higher mortality rate in the treatment arm of CONSERV-2. ...