Cidara Therapeutics Receives U.S. FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for CD388 in Seasonal Influenza Prevention
Breakthrough Therapy designation comes in addition to previously awarded Fast Track designation
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cidara Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDTX), a biotechnology company using its proprietary Cloudbreak® platform to develop drug-Fc conjugate (DFC) therapeutics, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Breakthrough Therapy designation for CD388 for prevention of influenza A and B in adults and adolescents who are at higher risk of influenza complications due to underlying immunodeficiency, are at higher risk of severe influenza despite influenza vaccination, or those for whom vaccines are contraindicated.
“This Breakthrough Therapy designation, in addition to the previously awarded Fast Track designation, underscores the importance of CD388 as a potential new non-vaccine prophylactic for seasonal influenza,” said Jeffrey Stein, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Cidara. “Individuals who have chronic medical conditions, advanced age, or are immune compromised may not be adequately protected by current vaccines, leaving them at higher risk for infection and complications from flu. As a long-acting prophylactic drug, CD388’s activity does not rely on an immune response, making it a potential prevention option for high-risk individuals as well as those for whom vaccines are contraindicated. We look forward to advancing CD388 through our ongoing Phase 3 ANCHOR trial and submission of a Biologic License Application.”
The Breakthrough Therapy designation is based on positive results from the Phase 2b NAVIGATE trial in which CD388 provided statistically significant prevention of seasonal influenza in healthy unvaccinated adults aged 18-64. Top line data from the NAVIGATE study was in June 2025 and additional data will be presented at upcoming scientific conferences later in October.
A Phase 3 trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of CD388, the ANCHOR Trial, was initiated at the end of September, six months ahead of schedule, in populations at high-risk for complications of influenza. Based on feedback from the FDA, the study population has been expanded to include generally healthy adults over 65 years old with no specific co-morbidities in addition to other high-risk populations with certain comorbidities and immune compromised status.
Breakthrough Therapy designation is intended to expedite the review of medicines that treat a serious or life-threatening condition and have shown preliminary clinical evidence indicating the potential for substantial improvement over available therapies. The benefits of Breakthrough Therapy designation include the eligibility for priority review, rolling submission of portions of the application, and FDA’s organizational commitment to involving senior management to provide guidance to the company to help determine the most efficient route to approval.
About Cidara Therapeutics
Cidara Therapeutics is using its proprietary Cloudbreak® platform to develop novel DFCs comprising targeted small molecules or peptides coupled to a proprietary human antibody fragment. Cidara’s lead DFC candidate, CD388, is a long-acting antiviral designed to achieve universal prevention of seasonal and pandemic influenza with a single dose by directly inhibiting viral proliferation. In June 2023, CD388 was granted Fast Track Designation by the FDA. Cidara positive top-line results from its Phase 2b NAVIGATE trial in June 2025 and its Phase 3 ANCHOR trial in September 2025. Cidara is headquartered in San Diego, California. For more information, please visit .
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “anticipates,” “expect,” “intends,” “believes,” “may,” “plan” or “will”. Forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements related to the potential benefits of and future plans for CD388, the expected timing, study design and target enrollment for the Phase 3 registrational trial of CD388, and the expected benefits of receiving a Breakthrough Therapy designation. Such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, such as unanticipated delays in or negative results from Cidara’s clinical trials and other risks related to clinical development, delays in action by regulatory authorities, other obstacles associated with the enrollment of participants or other aspects of CD388 or other DFC development, having to use cash in ways other than as expected and other risks and uncertainties associated with Cidara’s business in general. These and other risks are identified under the caption “Risk Factors” in Cidara’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2025 and other filings subsequently made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made and are based on management’s assumptions and estimates as of such date. Cidara does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of the receipt of new information, the occurrence of future events or otherwise.
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