XF-73 (Exeporfinium chloride) is an experimental drug candidate. It is an

anti-microbial An antimicrobial is an agent that kills microorganisms or stops their growth. Antimicrobial medicines can be grouped according to the microorganisms they act primarily against. For example, antibiotics are used against bacteria, and antifungals a ...

that works via weakening bacteria cell walls. It is a potential treatment for methicillin-resistant ''Staphylococcus aureus'' (MRSA) and possibly ''

Clostridium difficile ''Clostridioides difficile'' (syn. ''Clostridium difficile'') is a bacterium that is well known for causing serious diarrheal infections, and may also cause colon cancer. Also known as ''C. difficile'', or ''C. diff'' (), is Gram-positive spec ...

''. It is being developed by Destiny Pharma Ltd. Structurally, it is a dicationic

porphyrin Porphyrins ( ) are a group of heterocyclic macrocycle organic compounds, composed of four modified pyrrole subunits interconnected at their α carbon atoms via methine bridges (=CH−). The parent of porphyrin is porphine, a rare chemical com ...

. It has completed a phase I clinical trial for nasal decolonisation of MRSA—being tested against 5 bacterial strains. It seems unlikely to cause MRSA to develop resistance to it. In 2014, a phase 1 clinical trial for nasal administration was run. , another phase 1 clinical trial (for nasal administration) completed recruiting in 2016 but no results have been posted.Study of the Safety and Local Tolerability of Intranasal Gel Formulations of XF-73
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References

Antimicrobials Tetrapyrroles {{Pharma-stub