Clostridioides difficile vaccines: one step back, two steps forward

After years of disappointments, the C. difficile vaccine field is quietly repositioning itself. While GSK has officially dropped its own toxoid candidate from the pipeline, at least two other toxin‑based approaches—one “recycled” and one reformulated—are now moving into late‑stage development. GSK exits the field GSK has removed its C. difficile toxoid vaccine from its pipeline as part of a broader early‑stage portfolio review, despite favorable results in a published phase 1 study. In the context of GSK’s long‑standing presence in bacterial vaccines (e.g., meningococcal, pertussis, shingles) and the availability of bezlotoxumab for prevention of recurrence, the decision underscores how challenging primary prevention of C. difficile infection (CDI) has been for large pharma. Valneva’s VLA84: from deep freeze to “next‑generation” with Elaris By contrast, Valneva’s toxoid vaccine candidate VLA84—largely dormant since 2016—is back in the spotlight via a new owner.  Valneva’s phase 2 program enrolled around 500 predominantly older adults and was explicitly designed, in agreement with...