PARSIPPANY, N.J. & ROSEVILLE, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ferring Pharmaceuticals and Rebiotix today announced they will present two oral abstracts describing studies of investigational non-antibiotic microbiome-based therapeutics (RBX2660 and RBX7455) for the treatment of recurrent Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection at IDWeek 2020. The congress will be taking place virtually from October 21-25, 2020.

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“We are excited to present these translational microbiome and metabolome analyses from our clinical research program at IDWeek 2020,” said Ken Blount, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, Rebiotix, a Ferring Company. “Our goal is to truly understand the interplay of C. diff, antimicrobial resistance, and the microbiome in our patients, asking deeper questions that go beyond the clinical outcomes. These studies also highlight our concurrent development of two formulations, reinforcing our commitment to addressing important diseases with microbiome-based therapeutics.”

Recurrent C. difficile infection (rCDI) is a serious, sometimes deadly disease that impacts patients across the globe. Often associated with intestinal microbiome disruption, or “dysbiosis,” rCDI treatment standard of care is currently antibiotics, which is also a predominant risk factor for recurrence. The investigational microbiome-based formulations, RBX2660 and RBX7455, are in development for the reduction of rCDI. The development program includes the investigation of the influence of dysbiosis on other microbiome-modulated functions, including bile acid (BA) metabolism, which can influence C. diff colonization and colonization by antimicrobial resistant pathogens.

The clinical development program for RBX2660 is the most advanced, evaluating the safety and efficacy of a microbiome-based therapy with the highest number of patients enrolled in prospective clinical trials.

The details of the two oral abstract presentations are as follows:

Session: Antimicrobial Insights
Number: 29
Title: Rapid Restoration of Bile Acid Compositions After Treatment with Investigational Microbiota-based Therapeutic RBX2660 for Recurrent Clostridioides difficile Infection
Presenting Author: Romeo Papazyan, Scientist, Liver & GI Therapeutic Area, Ferring Pharmaceuticals
Date: Available online starting October 21, 2020

Session: Antimicrobial Insights
Number: 30
Title: Antimicrobial Resistance Genes Are Reduced Following Administration of Investigational Microbiota-based Therapeutic RBX7455 to Individuals with Recurrent Clostridioides difficile Infection
Presenting Author: Dana Walsh, PhD, Scientist, Microbiome Analysis, Rebiotix, a Ferring Company
Date: Available online starting October 21, 2020

Instructions for viewing oral abstract presentations are available here through IDWeek.

About Clostridioides difficile infection (C. diff)
C. diff is a bacterium that causes diarrhea and colitis (an inflammation of the colon).⁴ It is estimated to cause up to half a million illnesses in the US alone every year and is considered an urgent threat to public health by the CDC, and can lead to severe complications, including hospitalization, surgery, sepsis and death.^1,2 C. diff infection may result in a vicious cycle of recurrence, causing a significant burden for patients and the healthcare system.^5,6 The use of antibiotics has been shown to disrupt the ecology of the gut microbiome, and are a predominant risk factor for C. diff recurrence – occurring in up to 35% of patients after initial C. diff infection diagnosis.^7,8 After the first recurrence, it has been estimated that up to 60% of patients may develop a subsequent recurrence.⁹

About Ferring Pharmaceuticals
Ferring Pharmaceuticals is a research-driven, specialty biopharmaceutical group committed to helping people around the world build families and live better lives. In the United States, Ferring is a leader in reproductive medicine and maternal health, and in specialty areas within gastroenterology and orthopaedics.

Ferring is committed to exploring the crucial link between the gut microbiome and human health, beginning with the threat of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infections. With the 2018 acquisition of Rebiotix and several other alliances, Ferring is the world leader in microbiome research, developing novel therapies to address significant unmet needs.

For more information, call 1-888-FERRING + (1-888-337-7464); visit http://www.ferringusa.com/

About Rebiotix
Rebiotix Inc, part of the Ferring Pharmaceuticals Group, is a late-stage clinical microbiome company focused on harnessing the power of the human microbiome to revolutionize the treatment of challenging diseases. Rebiotix has a diverse pipeline of investigational drug products built on its pioneering microbiota-based MRT™ drug platform. The platform consists of investigational drug technologies designed to potentially rehabilitate the human microbiome by delivering a broad consortium of live microbes into a patient’s intestinal tract. For more information on Rebiotix and its pipeline of human microbiome-directed therapies for diverse disease states, visit www.rebiotix.com, or connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

References:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What Is C. Diff? 17 Dec. 2018. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/cdiff/what-is.html.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Biggest Threats and Data, 14 Nov. 2019. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/biggest-threats.html.
3. Fitzpatrick F, Barbut F. Breaking the cycle of recurrent Clostridium difficile infections. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2012;18(suppl 6):2-4.
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Clostridioides difficile Fact Sheet. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/cdiff/pdf/Cdiff-Factsheet-P.pdf.
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 24 June 2020. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/pdf/threats-report/clostridioides-difficile-508.pdf.
6. Feuerstadt P, et al. J Med Econ. 2020;23(6):603-609.
7. Langdon A, Crook N, Dantas G. The effects of antibiotics on the microbiome throughout development and alternative approaches for therapeutic modulation. Genome Med. 2016;8(1):39.
8. Lessa FC, Mu Y, Bamberg WM, et al. Burden of Clostridium difficile infection in the United States. N Engl J Med. 2015;372(9):825-834.
9. Leong C, Zelenitsky S. Treatment strategies for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection. Can J Hosp Pharm. 2013;66(6):361-368.

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