Oral treatment with freeze-dried human stool has been shown to treat Clostridioides difficile infections by enhancing the microbiome diversity in the colon, suggests new research.

CP101 was found to be more effective than placebo in preventing recurrent infections for up to 24 weeks. The capsules contain a powder of freeze-dried human stools obtained from screened donors. Jessica Allegretti, a gastroenterologist at Brigham and Women′s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, said that they restore natural diversity which is disturbed by antibiotic use.

The treatment serves as an alternative to fecal microbiota transplant, which is an effective treatment for antibiotic-resistant C. difficile infections but difficult to administer, added Allegretti.

A total of 198 individuals were included in the study who received antibiotics for recurrent C. difficile infections. After 2-6 days (antibiotics wash out), 102 patients were randomized to receive CP101 pills and 96 to placebo pills, both without bowel preparation. Eight weeks later, 74.5% of the patients taking CP101 pills were free of recurrence, compared to 61.5% of the patients taking placebo (P = .0488). After 16 weeks, 73.5% of the patients receiving CP101 pills and 59.4% of those receiving placebo had still not had a recurrence, with the statistical significance of the difference improving slightly (P = .0347).

The findings will be presented at the American College of Gastroenterology 2021 annual meeting… (Medscape)