Availability of drug tackling infection moves closer with £1.3m injection

0 Miroslav Ravic, chief executive of MGB Biopharma An anti-bacterial agent developed in Scotland to combat infections is to enter the next phase of clinical trials after a newly-completed £1.3 million fundraise from existing and new investors.

The drug was invented by MGB Biopharma at the University of Strathclyde for the treatment of infections of Clostridium difficile (commonly known as C. difficile) and is seen as having the potential to improve global cure rates.

C. difficile is responsible for most cases of hospitalacquired infection in developed countries.

The drug – MGB-BP-3 – will enter phase two clinical trails thanks to the new funding and a £2.7m grant awarded earlier this year by Innovate UK.

The latest funding round was led by Edinburgh-based Archangels, with co-funding from the Scottish Investment Bank, Barwell, and Melrosebased Tri Capital, and introduced crowdfunding investor Syndicate Room to the shareholder register.

Miroslav Ravic, chief executive and chief marketing officer of MGB Biopharma, said: “MGB Biopharma now has the funds with which to initiate our phase two study in patients diagnosed with C. difficile Associated Disease (CDAD).

“We are already witnessing renewed interest in our new anti-bacterial agent and its trial in key medical centres in North America where CDAD is particularly prevalent. This offers opportunities both to progress the study rapidly and to attract increased attention to the results for this important trial.”

The phase two trial is expected to involve 30 patients, each of whom has been diagnosed with CDAD, and will evaluate safety, tolerability, efficacy and in particular look for improvement in global, or sustained, cure rates.