Clostridioides difficile, commonly known as C. diff, is a significant health threat in the U.S. Recent estimates suggest that C. diff, a common bacteria, can cause infection in roughly 500,000 patients annually in the U.S., with around 30,000 of these cases resulting in death. “Actually, it’s more like 5 million when you think about it in terms of people at risk,” estimated Brian Finrow, founder and CEO of Lumen Bioscience, a biotech specializing in developing novel biologics. C. diff infection (CDI) is especially prevalent and dangerous in the immunocompromised elderly patients who are hospitalized or have been in nursing homes for long periods. “It’s a huge cost driver,” Finrow. Annual U.S. costs tied to CDI have eclipsed $6 billion per year. The infection is especially prevalent and dangerous in the elderly. Complicating matters further, recurrent CDI infections are common, affecting anywhere from 20% to 35% of patients with an initial infection.
A s…