Brighton scientists claim MRSA 'cure'

11:46am Monday 19th May 2008

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Scientists in Brighton believe they have found a cure for the MRSA superbug.

The research team is carrying out trials of a bactericidal compound - which it claims kills bacteria - with a view to developing a product for use in hospitals within three years.

Most antibiotics used to treat hospital bugs such as MRSA are bacteriostatic, meaning they prevent the growth of bacteria.

Brighton-based pharmaceutical company Destiny Pharma believes its compound - codenamed XF-73 - could hold the key to stamping out the potentially fatal bug.

A study showed that even after 55 repeat exposures, MRSA bacteria did not develop resistance to the drug - which is applied as a gel into patients' noses - in the same way it does to antibiotics. The research was led by Destiny Pharma's chief executive Dr Bill Love.

He said: "If it goes through clinical trials successfully, it really is a completely fundamental breakthrough.

"The potential is really quite amazing."

He said he hoped NHS strategic health authorities, responsible for spending money on treatment and deep cleans, would be willing to pay for XF-73 if it was approved by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.

In a statement, the company said: "Destiny Pharma has now completed its Phase I clinical trials and this result is the latest of many which have shown XF-73's high potential."

The firm presented its findings to the European Congress on ClinicaMicrobiology and Infectious Diseases in Barcelona last month.

XF-73 destroyed the five most common strains of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus bacteria (MRSA) in laboratory tests, according to the study.

Five of the most common strains of MRSA were tested against the drug and an antibiotic was used as a control.

Derek Butler, chairman of the campaign group MRSA Action, cautiously welcomed the development and called on the Government to provide more funding for research. He said: "We are interested in anything in the development of cures or treatment for MRSA.

"But we have reservations. I think more tests need to be done on it. We need to be careful in saying we have beaten the resistance problem. Bacteria have a habit of being able to get round any treatments we develop. But it is a good move and we are very hopeful."

A Department of Health spokesman said: "We maintain a close watch on these and other findings in the field.

"Reducing health care associated infections is a top priority for the NHS and we are already seeing significant reductions in health care associated MRSA bloodstream infections, with rates down by 30% compared with the same period last year."