Destiny Pharma PLC (AIM:DEST) said it started a new research programme to investigate the efficacy of a preventive medicine for people suffering from oral mucositis (OM) as a result of cancer treatment.
OM is when the mouth or gut becomes sore or inflamed and is a common side effect of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
The research on the medication, called XF-73, will be conducted in the US by OM expert Professor Stephen Sonis, according to a statement from the biotechnology company.
It said the potential utility of XF-73 in this indication is due to the “long-recognised association between the development of OM and changes in the oral microbiome”. Oral microbiome is a group of microorganisms that live in the mouth and XF-73 has already shown it has “fast acting antimicrobial activity” in Phase 2 clinical trials.
As well as that, XF-73 has “an excellent safety profile,” which makes it ideal as an oral formula to reduce the severity of OM, Destiny Pharma said.
More than 2mln cancer patients suffer from OM globally and it is considered one of the most serious non-hematological complications of cancer treatment. Although the side effect is common, there are few preventive or treatment options to help those patients that suffer from it.
“A successful preventative product will save healthcare costs and improve patient care whilst supporting a stronger patient to complete their full course of treatment and thereby make a significant contribution to improved clinical outcomes,” said Destiny Pharma chief executive Neil Clark.