LONDON (ShareCast) - (Sharecast News) - Clinical stage biotechnology company Destiny Pharma announced a positive interim safety review of the ongoing phase 2b study of its lead asset 'XF-73' in the prevention of post-surgical bacterial infections on Tuesday.
The AIM-traded firm said that, after its announcement on 27 July detailing a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved clinical protocol amendment to the study, the independent data monitoring committee has reviewed safety data from the first 75 cardiac surgery patients who completed study treatment.

Adverse event data, including safety laboratory results, incidence of postoperative infections, ear, nose, and throat examinations, as well as sense of smell tests were reviewed by the committee.

Destiny said that, based on their evaluation, the committee recommended that the study could continue without any modifications to the protocol.

Recruitment into the study remained on track to complete by the end of 2020, the board reported.

"We are very pleased the independent data monitoring committee has concluded that there are no safety concerns in the patients treated in the phase 2b study to date and that the study can continue as planned," said chief executive officer Neil Clark.

"This is consistent with our previous experience of testing XF-73 in several clinical studies."

Clark said the company believed XF-73 nasal gel had the potential to become a "well-tolerated, novel and effective" treatment for the prevention of post-surgical staphylococcal infections, and represented a "significant" commercial opportunity.

"We are now two thirds of the way through the study and look forward to completing recruitment by the end of 2020."

At 1157 BST, shares in Destiny Pharma were up 6.59% at 46.9p.

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