New mRNA Vaccine Prevents C difficile in Mice

A new vaccine may protect recipients from one of the most contagious bacterial infections, according to lab research from the Penn Institute for RNA Innovation. Drew Weissman, MD, PhD, the Roberts Family Professor in Vaccine Research, Mohamad Gabriel Alameh, PhD, an assistant professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Joseph P. Zackular, PhD, an assistant professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and colleagues created the C difficile vaccine with the mRNA platform that was used for the COVID-19 vaccines. If effective in clinical trials, the vaccine would be the first vaccine to prevent C difficile.