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Antibiotic associated diarrhoea (AAD) and Clostridium difficile associated disease (CDAD) can be especially hazardous for people who are frail or immuno-compromised. Due to severe dehydration,  antibiotic associated diarrhoea can be especially hazardous, leading to fatalities.

The increase and spread of antimicrobial resistance is a rapidly growing global problem, following the antibiotic medication and over-consumption of antibiotics.  At the EU-US summit on Tuesday 3 November, 2009, EU and USA decided to establish a joint task force to combat antimicrobial resistance - "The EU and the US will, along with the World Health Organisation, take the lead in dealing with the disastrous situation we find ourselves in."

One in every 250 death certificates now cites Clostridium difficile as a contributory or main factor. The figure below indicates the significant increase in the last few years in the mortality rate in the England and Wales attributed to Clostridium difficile.

The effects of antibiotic associated diarrhoea have a major detrimental socio-economic impact on the EU due to additional treatment costs, increased length of stay in hospital and the use of vancomycin, which is traditionally regarded as an antibiotic associated diarrhoea treatment of last resort.

The rising occurrence and severity of antibiotic associated diarrhoea poses an increased risk for the European community. According to the Department of Health there were 52,000 antibiotic associated diarrhoea cases in 2006 in the UK.

Each patient suffering from antibiotic associated diarrhoea (Clostridium difficile) requires on average an extra 21 days in hospital, taking up hospital beds and requiring nursing care. The cost of using these resources and treating antibiotic associated diarrhoea has been estimated at €5,920 per patient.

Qualvivo will develop a new generation of probiotic product that can be consumed not only when a person is already infected with antibiotic associated diarrhoea but also as a preventive measure. The lack of such product currently on the market that will have no side effects is believed by both the consortium partners and the EC evaluators to have the potential to create excellent business opportunities in a niche that is unexplored.

The Qualvivo Project aims to apply a three-fold quality control strategy to the development of a next generation probiotic supplement, with no side or toxic effects, completely safe even for people with allergies and severely ill patients e.g. HIV patients.

The Qualvivo product will be highly sophisticated synbiotic product, it will through dosage control and a target delivery mechanism deliver medicinal effects.

The EU evaluation of the project was very positive with statements such as -
"The proposal has the potential to make a large impact on the European economic performance as well as the health of its citizens.".

Sincerely,

Mats Wallström
Qualvivo Exploitation Manager