Therapy Analysis - Antibiotic-resistance: fighting the superbugs
Is prevention better than cure?
Another possible breakthrough in the fight against antibiotic resistance is the development of prophylactic vaccines. Originally developed as an immunogen to develop a hyperimmune globulin passive vaccine, Acambis' ACAM-CDIFF vaccine has shown early promise in the prevention of C. diffassociated diseases (CDAD). In a US Phase I trial in 50 healthy young adults, a single injection of ACAM-CDIFF vaccine produced 10-fold higher levels of anti-toxin-A and -B IgG compared with patients who had previously recovered from a C. diff infection. In another Phase I trial in elderly patients, seroconversion rates were 100% and 75% for C. diff toxin-A and -B, respectively. Side-effects were mild, with no serious adverse events reported.
