102835Development of a novel therapy against C difficileClosedCollaborative R&DInnovate UKIn light of rapidly emerging bacterial resistance to antibiotics, novel antimicrobials that are more refractory to resistance development are urgently needed. C. difficile infections (CDI) driven by the emergence of highly virulent and antibiotic resistant strains have, over the last two decades, become more severe and more difficult to treat. They are now one of the most frequent hospital-acquired infections in many industrialised countries. Hospital-acquired infections caused by C. difficile cost healthcare systems $3.2 billion in the US, $4.4 billion in the EU and an estimated $10 billion, globally, each year. The vast majority of C. difficile cases occur in the elderly following broad spectrum antibiotic use in a hospital or other health care settings. This project will further develop our novel C. difficile therapy that deploys potent and highly-specific novel biological enzymes that kill the bacterium in a highly targeted fashion. Our highly specific approach will not disrupt the normal gut flora and should significantly reduce relapse rates currently experienced with antibiotics. Pioneering an early intervention approach in at risk patients (preventing acute CDI) would save lives, reduce morbidity and reduce hospitalisations required to treat the disease.