Destiny Pharma announces publication of XF-73 drug synergy data

Destiny Pharma announces publication of XF-73 drug synergy data

XF-73 shown to enhance the activity of two antibacterial drugs

Findings may lead to improved treatments for lethal lung infections

and infected diabetic foot ulcers caused by antimicrobial resistant bacteria

Brighton, United Kingdom – 07 July 2022 – Destiny Pharma plc (AIM: DEST), a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the development of novel products to prevent life-threatening infections, today announces the publication of new data on XF-73 with Cardiff University in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology[1] a peer-reviewed publication. This research project is partly funded through a £1.6m collaboration between Destiny Pharma, Cardiff University, China Medical Systems and University of Tianjin. The collaboration was established under the UK-China AMR grant fund set up by Innovate UK and the Department of Health and Social Care with the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology.

These new in vitro data were generated by Dr Emma Board-Davies and Professor David Williams at the School of Dentistry, Cardiff University, in experiments studying the potential for XF-based drugs to enhance the effectiveness of key antibacterial treatments - many of which are now suffering from the emergence of bacterial resistance mechanisms. Multiple combinations of XF-based drugs and selected antibacterials were assessed and enhanced effectiveness beyond the action of the antibacterial drug alone was identified. The new findings were:

1. Synergistic effect when XF-73 was combined with polymyxin B, a last resort antibacterial drug used to treat life-threatening lung bacterial infections. The addition of XF-73 was found to enhance polymyxin B potency against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a top priority WHO bacterial pathogen, by 4-fold.

1. Synergistic effect when XF-73 was combined with ertapenem, used to treat infected diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). The addition of XF-73 was found to enhance ertapenem potency against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), another top priority WHO bacterial pathogen, by 8-fold.

These positive results open the way for further studies with multidrug resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and MRSA to progress the combination of XF-73 with these antibacterials as potential new treatments for serious lung and DFU infections. The new data further add to the existing published research and clinical data relating to the XF platform and XF-73. These data clearly demonstrate the attributes of XF-based drugs and their significant potential to provide much needed new treatments that will prevent and/or treat serious infections and address the global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Dr Bill Love, Chief Scientific Officer of Destiny Pharma, stated: “These latest data emerging from the highly successful InnovateUK, China AMR XF-based drug project have identified new opportunities to deliver better treatments for lung and DFU infections by using XF-73 alongside established antibacterial drugs. The addition of XF-73 significantly enhances the potency of these approved antibacterial drugs, which should improve their ability to treat such infections. We will be exploring the options for further research and development to progress XF-73 in such combinations to improve the treatment of these serious lung and DFU infections.”

Professor David Williams, Professor of Oral Microbiology, Cardiff University, added: "The control and management of infections involving antimicrobial resistant microorganisms is becoming increasingly problematic and as such there is urgent need for new and effective antimicrobials. An important strategy that can be exploited is combinational therapy involving multiple agents where synergistic effects are realised. This increases the efficacy of individual agents and reduces the risk of further development of resistance.”

For further information, please contact:

Destiny Pharma plc
Neil Clark, CEO
Shaun Claydon, CFO
+44 (0)1273 704 440
pressoffice@destinypharma.com

[1] https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2022.904465