Cubicin RF, Daptomycin

Introduction

Written by Dena Westphalen, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Bryson Russell, PharmD, MHSA, MSc
Updated on September 28, 2023

Daptomycin injection is a generic medication prescribed for certain infections caused by bacteria. It’s not available in a brand-name version. The cost of daptomycin with or without insurance can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.

Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved daptomycin to treat the following infections:

• skin infections in adults and children ages 1 year and older
• blood infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus in adults, including those who have right-sided infective endocarditis, a heart condition
• blood infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus in children ages 1 year and older

Read on to learn about daptomycin and cost. You’ll also find available coupons and suggestions for ways to save on your prescription. If you’d like more information about daptomycin, including its uses, refer to this overview article.

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Cost of daptomycin

Like other medications, the cost of daptomycin can vary. Certain factors may affect its price, such as:

• your insurance plan, if you have coverage
• the cost to visit a healthcare professional to receive doses of daptomycin

To find out how much daptomycin costs, ask your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider. They may be able to suggest ways to save money on your prescription, including those described in this article. To find out what you’d pay using savings coupons, read the “Coupons for daptomycin” section.

Coupons for daptomycin

Prescription drug coupons can help you save money by lowering the cost of daptomycin. The Optum Perks coupons above can provide significant savings on your prescription costs.

Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with insurance copays or benefits.

Available app for coupons

To make finding and using these coupons easier, you can download the Optum Perks app. To learn more about this prescription discount app, see this article.

Cost considerations for daptomycin

Here’s a list of things to consider about the cost of prescription drugs:

• Insurance coverage. Even if your policy has prescription drug coverage, the price of daptomycin may instead be billed through your medical coverage. This is because a doctor or another healthcare professional gives daptomycin doses. They’re given by injection or infusion into a vein. The cost of your doses will depend on your specific insurance plan and whether you receive the doses at your doctor’s clinic or a hospital. If you have questions about this process, contact your doctor or your insurance provider.

If you have questions about any of these considerations, ask your doctor. Or contact your insurance company and talk with a representative.

Generics vs. brand names

Daptomycin is a generic medication. It’s not available in a brand-name version.

A generic medication is an identical copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. (An active drug is the ingredient that makes a medication work.) Daptomycin is based on the brand-name version Cubicin, which is no longer available.

Generics usually cost less than brand-name drugs. And they’re thought to be as safe and effective as the brand-name version.

Common questions about daptomycin and cost

Here are some common questions about daptomycin and their answers.  

Is the cost of daptomycin similar to the cost of vancomycin?

It’s possible. Both daptomycin and vancomycin are antibiotics that treat certain infections. The cost to receive either drug will depend on several factors:

• your insurance coverage (if you have it)
• the condition you’re being treated for
• how many doses you’ll need
• the cost to receive your doses at your doctor’s office or from another healthcare professional

If you have more questions about the cost of either drug, talk with your doctor or insurance provider.

Why are costs different for brand-name drugs vs. generic drugs?

Brand-name drugs can be expensive because of the studies needed to test how safe and effective they are.

Makers of a brand-name drug can sell their drug for up to 20 years. When the patent for a brand-name drug expires, other drugmakers can make and sell generic versions. A generic medication is an identical copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. (An active drug is the ingredient that makes a medication work.)

This competition may help keep costs of generic medications lower. Also, generic medications contain the same active drugs as brand-name medications. So they don’t require the same testing, which can be costly.

To learn more about the cost differences between brand-name and generic drugs, talk with your doctor.

What to ask about daptomycin

This article provides cost information related to daptomycin. It also offers suggestions for ways to save money on your prescription. Above on this page, you’ll find coupons for daptomycin.

If you have more questions about paying for this medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist. You can also contact your insurance company.

Here’s a list of questions you may want to ask regarding the cost of your medication:

• If I can’t afford my medication, is there another option to treat my condition?
• Will it be more affordable if I take a medication that doesn’t require me to go to my doctor’s office for doses?
• How much will it cost to receive an infusion of daptomycin, and how many infusions will I need?

Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.

Resources

• Daptomycin for injection, for intravenous use. (2022). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/fc7eef03-042b-44a1-a344-1fa8a0435900/spl-doc
• Food and Drug Administration. (2023). Orange Book: Approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/index.cfm