102845Preclinical development and assessment of an oral therapeutic for Clostridium difficile infectionClosedCollaborative R&DInnovate UKClostridium difficile infections are the commonest cause of healthcare associated infection in the developed world and mainly involve the elderly. Such infections far outnumber MRSA, have a significant mortality and cost the NHS some £400 million annually. The clinical manifestations are due to the release of two powerful toxins into the lower bowel and there are few worse inflictions for the old than one characterised by profuse diarrhoea with its loss of dignity. The present project involves a novel means of treatment that is used as an adjunct to conventional antibiotics and involves the oral administration of specific antibodies which bind to and neutralise the responsible toxins. The antibodies are produced by immunising sheep with miniscule amounts of the inactivated toxins (similar to the vaccination of infants) which are purified and taken orally as a palatable liquid. The liquid also contains excipients that prevent the digestion of the antibodies during their passage through the gastrointestinal tract.