partialagonism.substack.com/p/if-ai-is-so-smart-why-hasnt-it-cured?utm_source=sh...
1 correction found
The last “blockbuster” antibiotic was Linezolid, approved back in 2000 and off patent since 2015.
This is incorrect because daptomycin (Cubicin), approved later in 2003, was also described by Merck as a blockbuster antibiotic with about $1 billion in trailing-12-month U.S. revenue.
Full reasoning
A later antibiotic than linezolid reached blockbuster status, so linezolid was not the last blockbuster antibiotic.
Two key pieces of evidence contradict the claim:
- FDA says daptomycin was approved in 2003, which is later than linezolid's 2000 approval.
- Merck described CUBICIN (daptomycin) as "a Blockbuster in the Anti-Infective Market" and reported roughly $1B in trailing-12-month U.S. revenue for it.
Because an antibiotic approved after 2000 was itself a blockbuster, the statement that linezolid was the last blockbuster antibiotic is factually wrong.
2 sources
- FDA Rationale for Recognition Decision: Daptomycin | FDA
Daptomycin is an antibacterial drug approved in 2003 for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSI)...
- EX-99.A (Merck acquisition presentation for Cubist)
CUBICIN is a Blockbuster in the Anti-Infective Market ... Cubist's US CUBICIN Revenue ~$1B* * Trailing 12 months, as reported.