The European Union has identified antibiotic-resistant super-bugs as a major European and global health problem.
It has given Destiny Pharma, based at the Sussex Innovation Centre, a grant of more than £1 million to lead a group of partners in researching a way to control the bugs.
Chief executive Dr Bill Love said: "There are very few ways to control bacterial growth and the main method of antibiotic treatment is no longer as effective as it was a few years ago.
"Bugs are becoming resistant far more quickly because antibiotics have been prescribed for all sorts of non-life threatening diseases and the population expects to be offered them when they are ill.
"But, at the end of a course of antibiotics, there are left over bugs which are resistant to such treatment and can continue to spread.
"Doctors have a dilemma. They know antibiotics might possibly be useful for many patients but they have authorities, such as the World Health Organisation, saying they should not use them for fear of making the resistance problem worse.
"We will empower doctors by providing another option."
The company has brought together a team of seven partners from across Europe to develop an alternative treatment method.
Dr Love said: "We are developing a light-sensitive drug which can bind to bacteria. When a light is shone on the targeted area, a toxic chemical is generated to kill the bacteria.
"The treatment only works on an area where the drug has been applied and the light is shone.
"It can't travel away from the specific treatment area to cause damage elsewhere and is non-toxic until triggered."
The research is aimed at developing the drug for skin conditions.
Dr Love said: "The aim is to treat dermatological (skin-based) rather than systemic (blood-based) problems.
"Of major concern is the spread of methacillan-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) which is often found in hospitals. Patients suffering from MRSA have to be nursed back to health and, at the very least, their stay in hospital is prolonged.
"MRSA can be the driving force behind a range of skin conditions, including impet-igo and atopic dermatitis.
"It can also cause infections that, in combination with other factors, can be fatal.
"We believe our method could be highly effective in curbing the spread of MRSA."
Destiny Pharma is the lead partner in the group of chemists, biologists, medics and a lamp company which has been awarded the European grant.
The Sussex company will be co-ordinating the research and preparing the formulation for the new drug.
Dr Love said: "We are now entering the research phase which we expect to take two years before trials can get under way.
"The pharmaceutical pro-cess of bringing a new product to market takes some time because it is important to make sure everything is safe.
"However, the sooner we can find a way to tackle the spread of dangerous bacteria the better."
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