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(Alliance News) - Destiny Pharma PLC on Tuesday said it is on track to complete patient recruitment for its phase 2b lead asset XF-73 study in mid-2020.
The clinical stage biotechnology company said its phase 2b trial of XF-73 nasal gel remains on track to complete patient recruitment in mid-2020, despite slower than planned recruitment over the last three months.
XF-73 is a novel drug for the prevention of post-surgical infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Destiny is forecasting peak US sales of USD1 billion, driven by the appropriate use of XF-73 in millions of eligible surgical procedures.
To-date, Destiny said it has opened 15 of the targeted 23 hospital clinical trial sites in the US and Europe to enable the recruitment of 200 open-heart surgery patients. A total of 60 patients have so far been recruited and enrolled in the study.
Destiny explained that slowdown in patient recruitment in the final quarter of 2019 in Europe was due to a shortfall in eligible cardiac surgery procedures in one country. Recruitment also has been slower than planned in the US, the company noted.
The situation in Europe was resolved in January, Destiny said, and patient screening and recruitment has returned to plan. Destiny said it is opening further clinical sites and an additional European country to boost recruitment.
Destiny said it now expects the recruitment to complete in mid-2020.
The company will report its 2019 results in April, it said.
The AIM stock was trading 1.4% lower in London on Tuesday at 35.00 pence a share.
By Evelina Grecenko; evelinagrecenko@alliancenews.com
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