Fecal Microbiota-based Therapeutics for Recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection, Ulcerative Colitis and Obesity

The human gut microbiome is a complex ecosystem of fundamental importance to human health. Our increased understanding of gut microbial composition and functional interactions in health and disease states has spurred research efforts examining the gut microbiome as a valuable target for therapeutic intervention. This review provides updated insight into the state of the gut microbiome in recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), ulcerative colitis (UC), and obesity while addressing the rationale for the modulation of the gut microbiome using fecal microbiota transplant (FMT)-based therapies. Current microbiome-based therapeutics in pre-clinical or clinical development are discussed. We end by putting this within the context of the current regulatory framework surrounding FMT and related therapies.