Promising new drug XF-73 kills superbugs within 5 minutes

Both, MRSA and C-diff are a potential threat for people since they can be acquired by humans after treatment in hospitals.

C-Diff is a life-threatening bacterium that causes diarrhoea and intestinal problems, while MRSA or causes a number of difficult-to-treat infections in humans.

Bill Love, of Destiny Pharma, the Sussex pharmaceutical company behind the new gel-based bacteriocidal product, stated: "This is a major breakthrough. Thousands of lives could be saved by destroying bugs in patients before they become susceptible to infections through medical procedures such as operations.

“We believe XF-73 holds the key to preventing the major cause of hospital bacterial infections worldwide.”

According to researchers, unlike antibiotics, that halt the progress of the killer bug, the new drug XF-73, has the potential of tackling the mutating bug by destroying it outright so that it does not have time to act upon humans.

Clinical trials of XF-73
In order to assess the safety and use of XF-73, the researchers carried out a series of tests where carriers of the superbug bacteria had the gel placed inside their noses.

It was noted that in less than five minutes, the drug was able to kill the most virulent strains of the community/hospital acquired bacteria with no adverse effects.

Additionally, XF-73 failed to induce resistance in any of the MRSA strains despite being exposed to it 55 times, which is perhaps the longest bacterial resistance study to have been conducted to date.

According to researchers, unlike antibiotics, that halt the progress of the killer bug, the new drug XF-73, has the potential of tackling the mutating bug by destroying it outright so that it does not have time to act upon humans.

F-73 works differently from antibiotics since it breaks down cell walls and causes a rapid loss of water content.

Lead author of the study, Professor Ian Chopra from the University of Leeds, stated: "Resistance to antibiotics is seriously undermining the ability of the medical profession to treat bacterial infections.

"Society urgently requires the discovery and development of new anti-bacterial drugs that have a different method of action and minimal potential for the development of resistance. XF-73 fulfils this need. The bactericidal potency of these drugs is remarkable."

Medical experts welcome the discovery
Experts are optimistic that XF-73, the new anti-microbial drug for combating existing and emerging superbugs will be fully ready and available for commercial use in hospitals within three years.

Welcoming the discovery, Derek Butler, MRSA Action UK, stated: "There is always the fear that bacteria will develop resistance to the only medication available to eradicate MRSA from a patient who carries the bugs.

"We are aware not everyone can be decolonised from MRSA using the present treatment available so this new development of treatment has shown great promise."

The results of the clinical trials of XF-73 were announced last week at the Interscience Congress on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy in Boston, US.