CHUV is first Swiss hospital to produce a certified drug for fecal microbiota transfer

Fecal microbiota transfer (FMT) has passed an important milestone for adoption as a treatment against persistent Clostridioides difficile infections in Switzerland. The Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) has obtained a marketing authorization for FMT from Swissmedic, the Swiss agency that regulates therapeutic products (press release). CHUV thus becomes the first accredited center in Switzerland to produce this type of medication, which has proven effective against chronic intestinal infections by the pathogen C. difficile. C. difficile infections cause severe diarrhea that can lead to hospitalisation. These bacterial infections are well-known for reoccurring after treatment by antibiotics.

The CHUV FMT Center transforms intestinal microbiomes from the stools of healthy donors into a medication that can be administred to patients suffering from C. difficile infection. The transplanted microbiome helps restore the patient’s damaged intestinal flora, with an impressive 95% cure rate. Thanks to the Swissmedic authorization, the FMT medication produced at the CHUV will now be available to other partner hospitals in Switzerland.

This resounding success is the result of a tight collaboration at the CHUV between Tatiana Galperine, head of the FMT project in the Infectious Diseases Department and a member of the NCCR Microbiomes, and Susanna Gerber, quality assurance manager in the Pharmacy Department.