Ferring’s Microbiota Therapy for C Diff Shows Promise

In May, Ferring Pharmaceuticals presented data at the 2021 Digestive Disease Week (DDW) Virtual Meeting, demonstrating the company’s, investigational therapy, RBX2660—the lead product in their MRT drug platform—has shown promise as the first microbiota-based live biotherapeutic to show efficacy in the first recurrence of CDI.

Specifically, the data showed that with a single dose, RBX2660 demonstrated superior efficacy vs. placebo (70.4% and 58.1%, respectively) at 8 weeks post-treatment. RBX2660 is the only microbiota-based live biotherapeutic to demonstrate efficacy as early as first recurrence of CDI. The company says the majority of treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs) for RBX2660 were similar to placebo, and mild to moderate in nature.

The platform was developed by Rebiotix Inc., a Ferring Company, and RBX2660 is being studied to deliver a broad consortium of diverse microbes to the gut to reduce recurrent C. difficile infection. The treatment has been granted Fast Track, Orphan, and Breakthrough Therapy designations from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Ken Blount, chief scientific officer, Rebiotix, and vice president of Microbiome Research, Ferring Pharmaceuticals recently spoke to Contagion who provided further insights into RBX2660, takeaways from their studies, and the development of an oral formulation.