Sanofi Pasteur supports trials against C difficile

Sanofi Pasteur is sponsoring clinical studies to determine the safety and efficacy of a vaccine targeted at the most common cause of hospital-acquired infection in Europe, it has been reported

Currently, trials are being conducted in the UK examining the medication against the virus Clostridium difficile (C difficile), which aims to prevent this infection.

The vaccine uses a toxoid-based approach, which has been used extensively in Sanofi Pasteur’s licensed protection against pertussis, diphtheria and tetanus.

Barry Cookson, lead investigator of the trial, explained there is concern about the emergence of antibiotic resistance from the virus and other bacteria.

“Vaccination has the potential to be a very effective strategy to combat gastrointestinal pathologies caused by C difficile along with better antibiotic stewardship and infection control practices,” he stated.

The infection mainly affects elderly patients and those with other underlying diseases. It is the major cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and colitis.

In the early 1990s, there were less than 1,000 patients with the virus, compared to nearly 45,000 diagnoses reported in 2004.