MGB Biopharma Expands Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) with Medical Microbiologist Dr Stephanie Dancer

GLASGOW, Scotland, June 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

MGB Biopharma, a biopharmaceutical company developing truly novel anti-infectives, announces today that Dr Stephanie Dancer, an internationally renowned medical microbiologist, has joined its scientific advisory board (SAB). She will help oversee the development of MGB Biopharma's lead antibiotic candidate, MGB-BP-3. An oral formulation of MGB-BP-3 is ready to enter Phase I development for Clostridium difficile, and an iv presentation is in late preclinical development for Gram-positive hospital acquired infections.  

Dr Dancer is currently a medical microbiologist in NHS Lanarkshire and has been editing the Journal of Hospital Infection for 18 years, five of which as editor-in-chief. Her current research focuses on the role of antibiotics, screening and cleaning in the control of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other hospital pathogens.

Her interests have led her to work and travel widely, including resuscitating 30,000 year-old organisms from glacial ice in the Canadian High Arctic. Her roles include being the first microbiologist at Health Protection Scotland (2002-05), where she set up MRSA surveillance for Scotland, evaluated real-time PCR for MRSA screening and helped to establish the Scottish Microbiology Forum. She has been a member of several national working groups on antibiotic prescribing, MRSA and hospital cleaning. She is a current or recent member of NHS Scotland Health Associated Infection Commodities; UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (infection control); UK Health Technology Assessment (screening and diagnostics); European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID/ECCMID) groups on the control of MRSA & multi-resistant Gram-negative bacilli; and 2013 ECCMID conference committee.      

Dr Dancer has published books, book chapters and over 120 microbiological papers in peer-reviewed journals on hospital cleaning, antimicrobial management, infection and MRSA. She trained at St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, followed by postgraduate studies at Guy's Hospital. She gained a thesis on epidemiology and biochemistry of toxin-producing staphylococci.  

Dr Miroslav Ravic, CEO of MGB Biopharma, said: "Stephanie's credentials as a leading world-class microbiologist, particularly in controlling hospital pathogens, are a significant asset for the company. We are making good progress in preparing the Phase I trial of the oral formulation of MGB-BP-3 for C diff and we are continuing to generate promising data for the iv formulation. Stephanie joins an already strong SAB and I am delighted to welcome her on board."  

Dr Stephanie Dancer added: "Efforts to raise awareness about the impending global dangers of antimicrobial resistance to human health are finally being taken seriously. However, we still have a lot of work to do in developing effective treatments that can deal with increasingly resistant pathogens. Therefore, I was most interested to see the preclinical data for MGB-BP-3, showing significant potential as the first novel antibiotic in development for more than a decade. I look forward to joining MGB Biopharma and working with the SAB to advance MGB-BP-3 into clinical practice."

Other members of MGB Biopharma's SAB are: Professor Colin Suckling, most recently Freeland Professor of Chemistry at the University of Strathclyde; Professor Curtis Gemmell, Editor-in-Chief of Reviews in Medical Microbiology and Research Professor at the University of Strathclyde; Professor David Scales, Strategic & Preclinical Advisor who has more than 20 years'

pharmaceutical R&D experience and previously held chairs at King's College and the School of Pharmacy at London University; Professor David Tweats, Genotoxicology Advisor who runs a consultancy working with pharmaceutical companies and institutes primarily on genetic toxicology issues; and Professor Iain Hunter, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science & Professor of Molecular Microbiology, University of Strathclyde.  

MGB-based anti-infectives have the potential to deliver significant advantages over current approaches including broad, bactericidal activity against multi-resistant Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens. MGB Biopharma's platform also promises to deliver compounds that are active against certain viruses, fungi and parasites. MGB's anti-infectives are based on its minor groove binder (MGB) technology.

About MGB Biopharma 

MGB Biopharma is developing a truly novel class of anti-infectives. MGB's lead candidate, MGB-BP-3, is a broad range antibacterial which is active against key multi-resistant Gram positive pathogens. The Company has developed an oral formulation of MGB-BP-3 for Clostridium difficile that is ready to enter the clinic, while an IV formulation for a range of Gram positive infections is in late-stage preclinical development.

MGB's anti-infective drug development capabilities are driven by its broad anti-infective platform, which has the potential to generate truly novel compounds active against other infectious diseases such as Gram negative pathogens as well parasites and fungi.

MGB's anti-infectives are based on minor groove binders (MGBs). Minor groove binders have a new mode of action that offers significant advantages over existing anti-infectives, such as being more bactericidal and active against a broad range of drug-resistant bacteria.

MGB Biopharma has close links with the University of Strathclyde, with exclusive worldwide licence rights to Strathclyde's MGB patents for all fields expect anticancer. The Company intends to work with partners to fully capitalize on the multiple value creating opportunities offered by its broad and novel anti-infectives platform.

The Company was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Glasgow, Scotland. It is backed by Scotland's investors including Archangel Informal Investment, Barwell, TriCapital and Scottish Co-Investment Fund. For more information please visit http://www.mgb-biopharma.com.

For further information, please contact:

MGB Biopharma              
Miroslav Ravic, Chief Executive Officer        
info@mgb-biopharma.com            
+44(0)208-946-0120                

Citigate Dewe Rogerson
David Dible/Sita Shah
sita.shah@citigatedr.co.uk
+44(0)20-7282-1052