Destiny Pharma PLC (LON:DEST) said it is to receive US government support to develop its XF-73 technology to combat infection associated with open wounds and broken skin.
The company will supply the dermal formulation of treatment to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. Its contractors will then conduct “clinically enabling safety studies”, with the project slated for completion next year.
Destiny chief executive Neil Clark said: "We are very pleased to be working with NIAID again on another XF-73 project to build on the existing data that supports its potential as a novel product to prevent and/or treat serious dermal infections, including those associated with diabetic foot ulcers and burn wounds.
“This study will enable us to finalise the selection of our dermal indication.”
XF-73 has been designed to prevent infection associated with open wounds and broken skin. This programme has previously demonstrated positive results across a range of preclinical efficacy studies and two phase I dermal irritancy trials.
It is also in clinical development as a nasal gel to combat post-surgical infections and is “on plan” to report results from a phase IIb study at the end of this month, Destiny said.