Scientists work on 'cure' for MRSA

Updated 07.59 Mon May 19 2008

Keywords: deepclean, deep clean, deep-clean, hospital, XF-73, NHS, disease, Dr Bill Love, Destiny Pharma, MRSA Action, Derek Butler, MRSA

British scientists are working on a new drug which they believe could herald a breakthrough in efforts to cure MRSA.

Researchers are carrying out trials of a bactericidal compound, which they claim actually kills bacteria, with a view to developing a product for use in hospitals within three years.

Researchers are carrying out trials of a bactericidal compound, which they claim actually kills bacteria

Brighton-based pharmaceutical company Destiny Pharma believes its compound - codenamed XF-73 - could hold the key to stamping out the potentially-fatal bug.

A study showed that, even after 55 repeat exposures, MRSA bacteria did not develop resistance to the drug - which is applied as a gel into patients' noses.

Destiny Pharma's chief executive Dr Bill Love, who led the research, said: "If it goes through clinical trials successfully, it really is a completely fundamental breakthrough. The potential is really quite amazing."

He said he hoped NHS strategic health authorities, responsible for spending money on treatment and deep cleans, would be willing to pay for XF-73 if it was approved by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.

Derek Butler, chairman of the campaign group MRSA Action, cautiously welcomed the development and called on the Government to provide more funding for research into reducing infections.

He said: "We are interested in anything in the development of cures or treatment for MRSA.

"We need to be careful in saying we have beaten the resistance problem. Bacteria have a habit of being able to get round any treatments we develop."

The latest figures from the Health Protection Agency showed there were 1,087 cases of MRSA from October to the end of December last year.

Last September, Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced that every NHS hospital in England would be deep-cleaned in a bid to tackle bugs such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile.

But the programme, which finished in March, came in for criticism from opposition parties, contract cleaners and the NHS Confederation.