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Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Clostridioides Difficile Infection First Episode and First Recurrence

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Versus Vancomycin or Fidaxomicin in Clostridioides Difficile Infection First Episode or First Recurrence: A Randomized Controlled, Open-label, Multicenter Phase III Clinical Trial

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05266807
Acronym
FENDER
Enrollment
100
Registered
2022-03-04
Start date
2023-03-15
Completion date
2028-01-31
Last updated
2026-07-10

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Clostridioides Difficile Infection

Keywords

Clostridioides difficile, Clostridium difficile, Fecal Microbiota Transplantation, Vancomycin, Fidaxomicin

Brief summary

The clinical trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) after standard of care treatment (either vancomycin or fidaxomicin) vs the pragmatic use of standard of care treatment (either vancomycin or fidaxomicin) in severe and non-severe first episode and first recurrence of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). Experimental arm: antibiotic treatment (vancomycin or fidaxomicin as initially prescribed per SoC continued for 10 days) followed by FMT by oral capsules (one FMT, i.e. 20 FMT capsules given on 2 consecutive days, and followed by a 2nd FMT in severe CDI). Control Arm: vancomycin or fidaxomicin as initially prescribed per SoC continued for 10 days.

Detailed description

Clostridioides difficile (CDI) is well known as major agent of healthcare-associated diarrhea in adult patients. One of the main challenges is the prevention of recurrence of Clostridioides difficile infection which occurs in 15-25% of the cases within the two months following the initial episode. A patient presenting a first recurrence has a higher risk of subsequent recurrences and may enter a cycle of multiple episodes of recurrence leading to significant morbidity, decrease in quality of life, and long courses of antimicrobial therapy. North-American, as well as the European, guidelines propose vancomycin or fidaxomicin to treat this first recurrence. All these recommendations rely on weak to moderate quality of evidence. For patients with multiple recurrences, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is recommended as an option in guidelines based on several randomized controlled trials and a meta-analysis having shown superior efficacy compared to antibiotics with regard to preventing further recurrences. FMT has never been evaluated for CDI first episode and first recurrence and could represent an attractive treatment to prevent further recurrences, avoid hospitalization (mean length of 10 days) and reduce overall mortality risk. The aim of our study is to compare the efficacy of FMT (combined with standard treatment: vancomycin or fidaxomicin) compared to standard treatment (vancomycin or fidaxomicin) in patients with a first CDI episode presenting risk factors for recurrence and in patient with a first CDI recurrence. This is a multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase III superiority trial comparing fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) delivered via oral capsules after a conditioning standard antibiotic treatment (either vancomycin or fidaxomicin), to the pragmatic use of standard treatment (either vancomycin or fidaxomicin) in non-severe and severe CDI first episode or first recurrence. Patients (100) will be randomized 1:1. Patients randomized in the FMT arm (Arm A) will continue the antibiotic treatment (vancomycin or fidaxomicin initially prescribed as SoC) for a total of 10 days. The antibiotic will be stopped for 12h to 4 days and then all patients will receive a first FMT on 2 consecutive days (20 capsules at D1 and 20 capsules at D2). Patients with severe CDI will receive a second FMT immediately administrated at D3 (20 capsules) and at D4 (20 capsules). Patients randomized in the standard treatment arm (Arm B) will continue the antibiotic treatment (vancomycin or fidaxomicin initially prescribed as SoC) for a total of 10 days. Efficacy of FMT (combined with standard treatment) will be assessed by comparing the proportion of participants experiencing clinical cure 8 weeks after study treatment completion, in the FMT intervention arm (arm A) and in the standard of care control arm (arm B). Participants will be followed for 12 months.

Interventions

DRUGoral capsulized Fecal Microbiota Transplantation

FMT will be administered per os in the form of capsules containing faeces from a healthy donor. Capsules are manufactured at the CHUV pharmacy (University Hospital of Lausanne, Switzerland)

Vancomycin or Fidaxomicin per os as initially prescribed per SoC

Sponsors

Benoit Guery
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Intervention model description

Randomized, Controlled, Open-label, Multicenter

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Adults (≥18 years old) at the time of informed consent 2. Informed consent signature 3. Medical record documentation of CDI defined as: a. A first CDI episode associated with risks factors for recurrence, defined as: i. No CDI episode within the last 8 weeks ii. Current combination of CDI signs and symptoms, confirmed by medical record documentation of microbiological evidence of C. difficile toxin and C. difficile in stools shown by a CDI PCR positive test with Ct \< 25 or a toxin A/B EIA positive test and without reasonable evidence of another cause of diarrhea, iii. Presenting at least one of the following risks factors for CDI recurrence: * age \>65 years-old, * hospitalization within the last 3 months, * use of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) within the last 3 months, * Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) \>2, * living in long term facility, * healthcare- associated CDI (see definition in section 7), * severe CDI episode (see definitions in section 6.1.2), * immunocompromised patient (except severely immunocompromised according to definitions in section 7.1), * history of prior CDI episode(s) (more than 8 weeks ago). OR b. A first CDI recurrence, defined as: i. Previous episode of treated and cured CDI within the last 8 weeks confirmed by medical record documentation of a clinical picture of CDI combined with a positive microbiological CDI test performed according to CDI diagnosis ESCMID guidelines ii. Current combination of CDI signs and symptoms, confirmed by medical record documentation of microbiological evidence of C. difficile toxin and C. difficile in stools shown by a CDI PCR positive test with Ct \< 25 or a toxin A/B EIA positive test , and without reasonable evidence of another cause of diarrhea.. 4. No multiple episodes (no more than 2 CDI episodes) within 3 last months. 5. Already taking since less than 10 days or will start a course of antibiotics (vancomycin or fidaxomicin) to control recurrent CDI symptoms at the time of screening. 6. Willing and able to have FMT by capsule

Exclusion criteria

1. Severe-complicated CDI if at least one of the following signs or symptoms are: * ongoing at time of screening and related to CDI: hypotension, septic shock, elevated serum lactate, ileus, * or were present at any time of the CDI episode and related to CDI: toxic megacolon, bowel perforation, or any fulminant course of disease (i.e. rapid deterioration of the patient. 2. Prior FMT within 6 months of randomization, 3. Prior total colectomy, colostomy, ileostomy, or gastrectomy 4. Metronidazole already given alone for the treatment of the current CDI for more than 3 days, 5. Need for continued non-anti-CDI systemic antibiotics (should be stopped at randomization at the latest), except prophylactic doses of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, 6. Anticipated indication for antibiotics treatment (for a non-CDI reason) in the next 8 weeks except prophylactic doses of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole 7. Other causes of chronic or acute diarrhea beyond CDI (chronic diarrhea is defined as loose/watery stools, which occur three or more times within 24 hours and last for 4 or more weeks) 8. Inflammatory bowel disease, 9. Patients with swallowing disorders, Zenker's diverticulum, gastroparesis, or prior small bowel obstruction, 10. Known hypersensitivity to vancomycin or fidaxomicin, 11. Pregnant/lactating women, 12. Estimated patient's life expectancy of less than 10 weeks, 13. Inability to follow protocol study procedures, 14. Inability to give informed consent, 15. Any condition or medications that will put the participant at greater risk from FMT according to the investigator, 16. Severely immunocompromised 17. No response to anti-CDI antibiotic treatment after at least 5 days of treatment (i.e. no diminution of the daily number of stools at BSS 6-7 compared to first day of treatment; or worsening of CDI severity parameters)

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Sustained clinical cure rate8 weeks after study treatment completionAbsence of CDI recurrence through 8 weeks after study treatment completion

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Treatment failureBefore 4 weeks and at 5-8 weeks after study treatment completionEarly and late CDI recurrence rate
CDI new episodesbetween 8 weeks and 12 months after study treatment completionCDI new episodes occurence rate
Long-term clinical cure6 and 12 months after study treatment completionLong-term clinical cure rate
Recurrence-free survival rate12 months after study treatment completionTime from study intervention until CDI recurrence
Overall survival12 months after study treatment completionTime from study intervention until death
Health status EQ-5D-5L measure (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, annxiety/depression)Baseline, 8 weeks, 6 and 12 months after study treatment completion5-digit code (score from 1 to 5 for each digit, 1 representing no problem and 5 worse problem)
Health status EQ-5D-5L measure (patient's perception of overall health)Baseline, 8 weeks, 6 and 12 months after study treatment completionEQ Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score (0 representing the worst health you can imagine to 100 representing the best health you can imagine)

Countries

Switzerland

Contacts

CONTACTBenoit Guery, MD
benoit.guery@chuv.ch+41213141643
CONTACTProject Manager
crc.fender@chuv.ch+41795564371
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORBenoit Guery

CHUV

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Jul 11, 2026