The company behind a light-activated drug to combat a deadly hospital superbug has secured £3 million funding for clinical trials.

Destiny Pharma, based at the Sussex Innovation Centre at Falmer, Brighton, says its XF drug can wipe out MRSA with safe dosages.

In laboratory trials, the drug has a 100 per cent success rate. Now sponsorship from company shareholders means clinical tests can start next year. If these are successful, Destiny's directors will be able to license the technology to a major pharmaceutical company - and make a fortune.

Superbugs resist antibiotics, kill at least 5,000 hospital patients a year and infect many more, including TV actress Leslie Ash.

The XF compound would be applied as a gel and its antibug toxins would then be triggered by a flash of light to kill strains of Staphylococcus aureus.

Existing antibiotic treatments only work until new, resistant strains of the superbug develop but with XF this risk is significantly reduced.

XF drugs are designed to selectively attack and eliminate bacteria by binding to every part of the organism rather than to a specific receptor.

This decreases the chances of bacteria mutating into a resistant strain.

Destiny Pharma started its XF programme four years ago and has developed a range of XF molecules that are active against a range of bacteria.

Destiny believes the market for XF in the prevention of hospital infections alone is worth more than £500 million. The drug could also be used for skin infections.

Founder and chief executive Dr Bill Love said: "If the next set of clinical trials are successful, then XF products will be available to help prevent MRSA hospital infections as well as offering treatment for a number of soft tissue infections involving skin, ears, eyes and dental conditions.

"XF is currently designed to be active against superbugs on the skin. Our next-generation XF compounds will be designed to fight superbugs within the body."

Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs three hospitals in Brighton including the Royal Sussex County in Eastern Road, has the third-highest infection rate in the country.

Wednesday, August 24, 2005