Media Availability: NIH-Supported Clinical Trial of Novel Staphylococcal Antibiotic Begins

Media Availability: NIH-Supported Clinical Trial of Novel Staphylococcal Antibiotic Begins

National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
http://www.niaid.nih.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, October 17, 2012

MEDIA AVAILABILITY
NIH-Supported Clinical Trial of Novel Staphylococcal Antibiotic Begins

WHAT:
Scientists have launched an early-stage clinical trial of a novel topical antimicrobial compound known as XF-73 that has shown promise for eliminating Staphylococcus aureus bacteria in the nose, a therapeutic approach that reduces the risk of staph infections. The study is being sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, and is taking place at the NIAID Phase I Clinical Trials Unit at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

S. aureus is the most common hospital-acquired infection in the United States. According to a recent analysis, nearly 300,000 hospitalized patients suffer an S. aureus infection every year in the United States, costing an estimated $9.5 billion in medical expenses. A growing number of S. aureus strains, such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus, are becoming resistant to the most commonly used antibiotics. Compared with existing antibiotics, XF-73 has a novel structure and mechanism of action, kills S. aureus bacteria rapidly and does not appear to generate resistance through genetic mutation. It is administered nasally.

XF-73 was developed by Destiny Pharma, Ltd., a pharmaceutical company based in Brighton, United Kingdom. Previously, it was tested in three early-stage trials in Europe and showed promising safety, tolerability and efficacy results. In the new NIAID-funded trial, currently enrolling healthy men and women ages 18 to 45, scientists will assess the safety and tolerability of a modified, thinner gel version of the formula tested in Europe. They will also compare participants’ systemic absorption of the XF-73 compound from the modified gel, the previously tested gel and placebo and the ability of each treatment to eliminate S. aureus bacteria.

RESOURCE:
Information about this clinical trial is available at www.clinicaltrials.gov using the identifier NC01592214.

WHO:
Dennis M. Dixon, Ph.D., chief of NIAID’s Bacteriology and Mycology Branch, is available to discuss this clinical trial.

CONTACT:
To schedule interviews, please contact Nalini Padmanabhan, (301) 402-1663, niaidnews@niaid.nih.gov.

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NIAID conducts and supports research—at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide—to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID Web site at www.niaid.nih.gov.
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