Advantages
- Multi-Antigen Targeting for Broad Protection: targets three distinct virulence factors (FliC, LP2, RBD2) simultaneously
- Targeting Hypervirulent Strain Pathogenesis
- Significant protection from infection and weight loss
- Reduced fecal toxin and spore levels
Summary
Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) is a bacterium that colonizes the colon and causes antibiotic-associated diarrhea and life-threatening colitis. Currently, treatment options of C. difficile infection (CDI) are a few antibiotics that are plagued by high recurrence rates (15-35%) and increasing resistance. There is currently no vaccine that can prevent CDI and recurrence.
Our researchers created a fusion protein vaccine candidate, FLR, to combat C. difficile infection. It contains FliC (Flagellin C protein, a colonization factor,), LP2 (Lipoprotein 2, a surface-exposed adhesion molecule), and RBD2 (the receptor-binding domain 2 of the binary CDT toxin. These components were genetically fused and cloned into an expression vector in Bacillus megaterium to produce FLR. Immunizations with FLR adjuvanted with alum induced significant antibodies against FliC, lipoprotein 2, and RBD2 in both sera and feces. FLR immunization of mice challenged with C. difficile provided significant protection as seen in increased mice survival, decreased diarrhea, and reduced C. difficile toxin and spore levels in the feces of the. This vaccine demonstrates that FLR can be used as an effective vaccine candidate against C. difficile infection.
Desired Partnerships
- License
- Sponsored Research
- Co-Development