Rebiotix treats first patient with microbe capsule

The biotech company Rebiotix Inc. recently announced that a patient has been treated for the first time with a capsule that delivers live microbes into the human intestinal tract.

The capsule formulation, labeled RBX7455, was used as a means of preventing a recurrent Clostridium difficile (C. diff.) infection. It was administered during phase 1 of the study, which is testing a non-frozen oral capsule formulation of Rebiotix's Microbiota Restoration Therapy (MRT). Rebiotix is hoping the drug technology will rehabilitate the human microbiome without the need for refrigeration or freezing.
 
"New therapies are urgently needed to prevent recurrent C. diff., a debilitating, costly and potentially life-threatening infection," Dr. Sahil Khanna, who is leading the study, said. "RBX7455 not only provides standardized and stabilized human microbes orally, but may provide several advantages in terms of patient dosing and therapy accessibility since no freezing or refrigeration is needed when the patient takes the product home."

Khanna is an assistant professor of medicine in the Mayo Clinic's Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.