Clostridium difficile, more commonly known as C. diff, is a bacterium that causes gastrointestinal infections and severe diarrhea. C. difficile infection (CDI) is the most common healthcare-associated infection in the United States, with nearly half a million cases each year, and a growing number of antibiotic-resistant strains have increased the morbidity of infections in recent years.

CDI often occurs after long-term treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics, which can drastically alter the normal bowel flora and decrease healthy bacterial populations, providing a breeding ground for pathogenic bacteria. The most common treatment for CDI, vancomycin, is also an antibiotic. Using an antibiotic to treat a disease caused by antibiotics is problematic, and recurrence rates for C. diff infections can exceed 60%. As recurrence is usually more difficult to treat than initial infections, there is an unmet medical need for alternative therapeutics.

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is one such alternative. FMT involves introducing the feces of a healthy person into the colon of a C. diff patient via capsule, colonoscopy, enema, or a tube inserted through the nose. The purpose of this procedure is to restore balance to the microbiome, replenishing the “good” bacteria and controlling the “bad.” Compared to antibiotic treatment, which is typically less than 40% effective, studies have shown that FMT can cure up to 90% of C. diff infections.

TransPharm can perform preclinical studies in mice to test the efficacy of novel therapeutics against C. difficile infection and recurrence. Learn more or contact us for a professional consultation or free, no-obligation quote.