With Destiny’s lead drug now licensed to Sebela Pharmaceuticals in preparation for its Phase 3 study, Destiny’s second Phase 3-ready drug (XF-73) is next up for partnering and the recent publication and XF Pipeline Update burnished its profile for the benefit of investors and potential partners. As one key opinion leader at the event noted, 'XF-73 is the real deal.'
Destiny announced the publication of a microbiological study that tested XF-73’s activity against more than 2,500 clinical isolates of Staphylococci. XF-73 was found to be active against all isolates tested, irrespective of whether they were sensitive or resistant to 22 other antibiotics. This expands XF-73’s existing profile and earlier data.
This is important to regulators since, in contrast to XF-73, the most commonly used antibiotic for nasal decolonisation – mupirocin calcium (Bactroban Nasal) – does have a resistance problem, illustrated soon after it became available over the counter in New Zealand (resulting in its withdrawal), and by the very narrow label given to Bactroban Nasal by the FDA. It is also important that the publication demonstrated XF-73’s activity not just against MDR S.aureus strains, including MRSA, but against 15 other staphylococcal species.
We provide our summary of Destiny’s XF Pipeline Update and presentations in the body of this note and our Fair Value for Destiny Pharma plc remains unchanged at £254.7m (or 279 pence per share).
