Destiny Pharma to present XF-73 clinical data at leading US conference, shares jump

Destiny Pharma (DEST) Follow | DEST, a clinical stage biotechnology company, announced that clinical data from Phase 2b trials on its lead asset XF-73 has been accepted for presentation at the ID Week conference - the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, to be held in October 2024 in Los Angeles.

XF-73 Nasal is Destiny Pharma's lead candidate for the prevention of post-surgical infections. The full title of the presentation will be: "Impact of Exeporfinium Chloride (XF-73) Nasal Gel on the Use of Post-Operative Anti-staphylococcal Antibiotics in Cardiovascular Surgery Patients: Results from a Randomised, Placebo-Controlled Phase 2 Study."

Previously, Destiny had reported on achieving the primary endpoint for its XF-73 Nasal gel, ie >99% reduction in nasal S. aureus compared to placebo 1 hour before open heart surgery. Further analysis of a secondary endpoint within the clinical trial investigated the use of post-surgical antibiotics >48 hours after surgery, and found that significantly fewer patients on XF-73 were prescribed post-operative antibiotics: 46.5%, compared to 70% in the placebo group.

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Destiny Pharma's lead asset XF-73 Nasal has received further endorsement through its admission to the ID Week conference, to be held in Los Angeles in October 2024. The Phase 2b clinical data to be presented will highlight XF-73 Nasal's ability to significantly reduce the need for post-surgical antibiotic use. Markets welcomed the news, sending DEST shares 11% higher in early trade.

Clinical data so far has shown that XF-73 Nasal is highly effective in reducing post-surgical infections. Additional benefits of the drug include a short 24 hour pre-surgical dosing regimen, rapidity of S. aureus nasal decolonisation, remote likelihood of resistance emergence, and the duration of effect. These features provide a good fit with clinical practice. Phase 3 studies are being planned to evaluate and gain regulatory approval for the asset.

Last month, XF-73 Nasal gained the backing of the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for the innovative medicines pathway. This means the UK's drug regulatory agency has recognised the importance of XF-73 Nasal, its potential to address a significant unmet clinical need, and granted access to a wide range of tools to advance its development. The granting of the pathway should significantly speed up the time to market of XF-73.

Surgical site infections are serious, potentially life-threatening complications, affecting large numbers of patients. They are a strain on healthcare systems, costing approx. US$10bn a year in the US alone. As such, there is significant unmet demand anticipated for XF-73 Nasal. Market analysis on the candidate has shown a potential worldwide market of US$2bn.

XF-73 has also demonstrated efficacy against the hospital superbug methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In studies published in 2023, XF-73 was potent against all 840 MRSA strains collected from infected patients from 33 countries worldwide and was shown to be up to 1000x more efficacious than nasal mupirocin, the most commonly used nasal antibiotic.

In summary, Destiny's XF-73 Nasal is a Phase 3-ready asset that can be particularly disruptive as a powerful alternative to antibiotics as antimicrobial resistance continues to evolve. Clinical data underpinning XF-73 has been excellent, including a stellar safety profile and efficacy against a wide range of bacteria, prompting its admission to the ID Week conference.

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