MRSA Action UK hails a major breakthrough in the battle against superbugs

MRSA Action UK hails a major breakthrough in the battle against superbugs

MRSA Action UK hails a major breakthrough in the battle against superbugs

MRSA Action UK welcomes the news of the latest successful human clinical trials of the antibacterial agent XF-73 produced by Destiny Pharma.

Although this is not a new antimicrobial, the news of a new agent to combat the threat of superbugs such as MRSA is very welcome. Over the last 30 years there have only been 2 groups of antimicrobials developed to combat the rise of these superbugs, and this new development in combating the carriage of bacteria will help in reducing the incidence of infection from a wide range of bacteria, including multi-resistant strains such as MRSA. We also welcome the news from Dr Bill Love that XF-73 is also potent against other bacteria such as MSSA, Streptococci, Enterococci and Clostridium difficile which brings new hope for future treatments and save lives.

With a national screening program now in use throughout the NHS there is always the fear that bacteria will develop resistance to the only presently used medication available to eradicate MRSA from a colonised patient. We are aware that not everyone can be decolonised from MRSA using present treatments, this new development therefore shows great promise that resistance cannot be built up against it due to the novel way it binds to the membrane of bacteria causing the rapid loss of vital internal components. We must remain vigilant however, as these bacteria have shown us in the past that if we continue to treat them with contempt, we do so at our peril. They have shown that they have the ability to develop new and ever more sophisticated methods of evolving.

It is our belief that we need to look at antimicrobial resistance from a different perspective and whilst still trying to develop newer and more effective antimicrobials, we also need to look at alternatives such as vaccines, phage therapy, and to consider genetically re-engineering older antimicrobials to counteract resistance and to use technologies and resources to track emerging threats as they evolve and develop solutions. The one solution that we must improve and maintain is the prevention of healthcare associated infections, as this does not cost money; in fact it saves money and prevents antimicrobial resistance from happening, preserving the very stocks of antimicrobials we have and giving time to the pharmaceutical industry to develop newer and better treatments.

There has to be far more research into how the bacteria function and their ability to outsmart the best we can develop against them. The irony is that a small to medium size pharmaceutical company such as Destiny Pharma probably spends more on research on bacteria than our Government gives in grant aid to all the microbiology research laboratories in the UK. There is an urgent need to make this research global because of emerging threats such as NDM-1. We believe the time has now come for Governments around the world to collaborate with the Pharmaceutical Industry in developing the next generation of antimicrobials.

We hope the Government will give its backing to this new development and that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) will support the use of this new agent in the fight against bacteria such as MRSA

Derek Butler
Chair
MRSA Action UK
Registered Charity No. 1115672
mrsaactionuk.net
Derek.butler@mrsaactionuk.net
07762 741114