Clinical Research Directory
Browse clinical research sites, groups, and studies.
Evaluation of EXL01, a New Live Biotherapeutic Product to Prevent Recurrence of Clostridioides Difficile Infection in High-risk Patients
Sponsor: Hospices Civils de Lyon
Summary
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of nosocomial diarrhea in Europe, with over 120,000 cases and almost 3,700 deaths per year. This infection is characterized by a high risk of recurrence after cure, ranging from almost 20% after a first episode to over 60% after 2 recurrences, or in the case of specific risk factors. Currently, first-line treatment of CDI is based on oral antibiotics such as fidaxomicin or vancomycin. These antibiotic treatments, which are effective in 89% and 86% of first-episode cases respectively, do not correct the microbiological imbalance underlying the onset of CDI and may, on the contrary, encourage recurrence by contributing to the maintenance of a deleterious change in the microbiota (dysbiosis) through the elimination of bacteria other than C. difficile, due to their spectrum of activity. In a number of patients, this ecological imbalance can no longer be restored after antibiotic treatment, leading to multiple recurrences of CDI. In this context, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been validated for over 10 years for the prevention of recurrence in multi-recurrent CDI. The principle of FMT is based on the use of a pharmaceutical preparation made from the stool of a healthy donor, administered within the digestive tract of a patient for therapeutic purposes. Currently, in the case of multiple recurrences, it is the recommended first-line treatment (from 2 recurrences) and the most effective, with a clinical efficacy preventing recurrence of CDI in 69% to 89% of cases at 8 weeks post-treatment, with a good safety profile. Among the microbial factors promoting CDI, the loss of the bacterial species Faecalibacterium prausnitzii constitutes a specific therapeutic target. F. prausnitzii is a commensal bacterium of the human gut, making up nearly 5% of the fecal microbiota, and has been shown to be associated with an individual's state of health. A drop in its relative abundance is associated with an increased risk of numerous diseases, such as Crohn's disease and colorectal cancer. In CDI, F prausnitzii is greatly diminished. Moreover, low abundance of F. prausnitzii is predictive of C. difficile recurrence. Its abundance in stools is increased after FMT and is also predictive of response to treatment. From a pathophysiological point of view, one of the preventive effects of F. prausnitzii on recurrence would be mediated by its ability to hydrolyze the bile acids involved in the germination of C. difficile spores. The aim of this Phase I/II trial is to assess the efficacy and safety of oral administration of EXL01, a single isolated unmodified strain of F. prausnitzii, in preventing CDI recurrence in high-risk patients at W8. The study will be conducted in 2 parts. The phase I (Part A) is planned to include 6 patients. The phase II (Part B) will include 50 patients in two arms (25 patients respectively in the placebo and EXL01 arm).
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
56
Start Date
2024-05-07
Completion Date
2027-01-07
Last Updated
2026-03-02
Healthy Volunteers
No
Interventions
EXL01
Following a at least 10-days vancomycin treatment : Oral EXL01 including: * 10 capsules per day in week 1 and 2 * 4 capsules per day, in weeks 3 and 4 * 1 capsule per day in weeks 5 to 8 Phase I : EXL01 during a 8 weeks open-label period
EXL01
Following a at least 10-days vancomycin treatment : Oral EXL01 including: * 10 capsules per day in week 1 and 2 * 4 capsules per day, in weeks 3 and 4 * 1 capsule per day in weeks 5 to 8 Phase II: EXL01 during a 8 weeks double blind placebo-controlled period
Placebo
Following a at least 10-days vancomycin treatment: Oral placebo including: * 10 capsules per day in week 1 and 2 * 4 capsules per day, in weeks 3 and 4 * 1 capsule per day in weeks 5 to 8 Phase II : Placebo during a 8 weeks double blind placebo-controlled period
Locations (9)
CH Annecy Genevois Service de Maladies infectieuses
Annecy, France
Service d'hépato-gastroentérologie - CHU Estaing
Clermont-Ferrand, France
CHU Grenoble Service Maladies infectieuses et tropicales
Grenoble, France
Service d'Hépato-gastroentérologie Hôpital de la Croix Rousse
Lyon, France
APHM La Timone Service de Maladies infectieuses
Marseille, France
Service d'hépato-gastroentérologie - Hôpital Saint Antoine (APHP)
Paris, France
Service d'infectiologie - Hôpital Nord / CHU Saint Etienne
Saint-Etienne, France
Service de médecine interne - Pôle des maladies de l'appareil digestif - CHU de Toulouse
Toulouse, France
Service de Maladies Infectieuses - CH de Valence
Valence, France