King's College London Receives £2.7M Grant to Develop Revolutionary 24-Hour Nail Fungus Treatment Device
Key Insights
King's College London has secured £2.7 million in funding to develop OnchyMed (search), an innovative device that kills nail fungal infections in just 24 hours using sodium hydrogen sulphide (search) technology.
The device addresses critical limitations of current treatments, which require 6-12 months of use due to poor nail penetration or cause liver and kidney toxicity with oral medications.
OnchyMed (search) uses a novel approach where sodium hydrogen sulphide (search) is delivered through a plastic nail cover, slowly releasing hydrogen sulphide (search) gas that destroys fungus without entering the bloodstream.
King's College London has been awarded £2.7 million to advance clinical development of OnchyMed (search), a groundbreaking medical device designed to treat nail fungal infections in just 24 hours. The innovative treatment represents a significant departure from current therapeutic approaches that require months of treatment or carry substantial side effects.
Novel Mechanism Addresses Treatment Barriers
OnchyMed (search) utilizes sodium hydrogen sulphide (search) (NaHS), a well-known chemical compound that releases hydrogen sulphide (search) gas capable of destroying fungal infections. The device consists of NaHS mixed with water to form a gel, which is placed under a plastic nail cover and kept stable through vacuum-sealed packaging.
The treatment mechanism leverages the small molecular size of NaHS, allowing it to penetrate the nail plate (search)—one of the most difficult barriers in the human body to breach. As the compound passes through the nail to reach the nail bed (search), it slowly converts to hydrogen sulphide (search) gas, which kills the fungus. The gas is released in such minute quantities that it remains odourless during treatment.
Professor Jones, the lead researcher, stated: "I am looking forward to working with my co-applicants to translate this highly innovative topical therapy into clinical testing, which is an important step in this product's onward journey to the market."
Addressing Significant Unmet Medical Need
Onychomycosis (search) affects approximately 10% of the global population and up to 50% of older adults. The fungal infection can be triggered by nail trauma from sports activities, warm and moist environments, and advancing age. Infected nails typically become brittle or crumbly and develop yellow, brown, or white discoloration. For patients with comorbidities, particularly diabetes (search), the infection can lead to severe complications including limb amputation.
Current treatment options present significant limitations. Topical antifungal treatments (search) available on the market demonstrate limited effectiveness due to their inability to properly penetrate the nail plate (search), requiring 6-12 months of continuous use—the time needed to grow a completely new, fungus-free nail. While oral medications prove more effective at eliminating the fungus, they carry harsh side effects and exhibit toxicity to the liver and kidneys.
These treatment challenges result in many patients suffering with onychomycosis (search) for years or even decades, highlighting the critical need for more effective therapeutic options.
Multidisciplinary Development Team
The research initiative brings together a multidisciplinary team of academics and clinicians from King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. The collaborative team includes Dr Mohamed Alhnan, Reader in Pharmaceutical Medicine; Dr Liz Clark, Visiting Lecturer and Patient Engagement Theme Lead; Dr Clare Heaysman, Senior Lecturer in MedTech Regulatory Affairs; and Dr Wisam Alwan, Consultant dermatologist at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust.
Clinical Development Pathway
The funding will support clinical testing of OnchyMed (search), with the research team positioning this as a crucial step toward market introduction. Unlike existing treatments, OnchyMed offers the advantage of not entering the bloodstream, eliminating systemic side effects while delivering rapid therapeutic results.
If the upcoming trial demonstrates success, it will establish the foundation for the first clinically proven, fast-acting, and non-invasive treatment for onychomycosis (search). The research team plans to advance to larger clinical trials following the initial study, bringing the device closer to widespread clinical implementation and potentially transforming the treatment landscape for this persistent fungal infection.