Destiny Pharma plc products

A Phase 2b clinical study, which was a multi-centre, randomized, placebo-controlled study of XF-73 nasal gel as a new product for the prevention of the incidence of post-surgical infections such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) completed recruitment at the end of 2020 and top-line results were reported in Q1 2021, as planned.

There are two XF-73 dermal programmes in development. One is being run by our China partner and shareholder – China Medical Systems Holdings Limited (CMS) – focused on superficial skin infections and the other is an in-house programme looking at the use of XF-73 for the prevention and treatment of serious infections associated with burns and open wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). The latter programme is in collaboration with the US government’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

The XF drug platform has a novel, ultra-rapid mechanism that reduces the chance of bacteria becoming resistant to its action. Destiny Pharma’s XF platform has advantages over traditional antibiotics.

Background to the NTCD-M3 Clostridioides difficile Programme. NTCD-M3 was developed by GI infection physician, Professor Dale Gerding, who is a world-leading specialist in C. difficile, with more than 400 peer-reviewed journal publications, book chapters and review articles in the area. NTCD-M3 has successfully completed Phase 1 and Phase 2b trials with NTCD-M3. The Phase 1 study demonstrated a strong safety/toxicology profile and the 95% prevention of CDI recurrence. Phase 2b NTCD-M3 data was published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association (Gerding DN et al JAMA 2015;313:1719). NTCD-M3 has also been awarded Fast Track status by the FDA. Destiny Pharma acquired global rights to the NTCD-M3 program in November 2020.

Destiny Pharma is working in collaboration with SporeGen Limited, a UK biotechnology company working exclusively on Bacillus and its applications, to co-develop SporeGen’s SPOR-COV™ product as a novel, preventive treatment for COVID-19. SPOR-COV™ prophylactic approach targets the innate immune system with potential to develop COVID-19 protection within a few days of treatment. The SPOR COV™ product consists of a proprietary formulation of Bacillus bacteria that will be administered nasally as a spray. SPOR-COV™ has already been shown by SporeGen to provide complete (100%) protection in preclinical models of influenza.