Tillotts Pharma

Title

To better understand how the new European CDI treatment guidelines may impact clinical practice, diagnostics, treatment options and epidemiology of CDI infections. 

Engagement Type

Consultancy 

Industry Partner

Tillotts Pharma is a fast-growing international specialty pharma company located in Switzerland, employing over 300 employees worldwide. Their product portfolio is focussed on gastrointestinal diseases including IBD, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.   

Challenges

Tillotts Pharma had recently acquired the rights to DIFICLIRTM, a recommended treatment option for patients suffering from CDI, a serious and sometimes life-threatening infection of the colon. They were interested in consulting with Prof. Fitzpatrick on her opinion on how the new European CDI treatment guidelines may impact clinical practice, and around the diagnostics, treatment options and epidemiology of CDI infections. 

RCSI Value Added

Prof. Fidelma Fitzpatrick is the Head of Department of Clinical Microbiology, RCSI, and Consultant Microbiologist, in Beaumont Hospital. In addition, she is elected chair of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Study Group for Clostridioides difficile, and a member of the Community antimicrobial prescribing committee, HSE Antimicrobial Resistance Infection Control (AMRIC) and National Healthcare-associated infection (HAI) hospital point prevalence steering group, Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).

As the first National clinical lead for the prevention of HAI and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), she established the national clinical programme, led the national public information campaign on antibiotics, national hand hygiene and antimicrobial stewardship campaigns and oversaw the establishment of the National AMR Intersectoral Coordinating Committee between the Dept of Health and Dept of Agriculture. As consultant microbiologist in the HPSC she established C. difficile surveillance in Ireland, chaired a number of national guideline committees, was the European Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) national HAI focal point and coordinated the first national HAI prevalence studies in both hospitals and long-term care facilities.

“The interaction with Professor Fitzpatrick helped to better understand the therapeutic area of C. Diff. infections and in general the environment of antimicrobial stewardship programmes in Ireland and in Europe. Together with Professor Fitzpatrick we were able to engage in educational activities targeted at HCPs to raise awareness of the need to follow AMS programmes. The interaction with RCSI was fast, efficient, and productive’. 

–Dr Christian Weidenfeller, Global Head of Medical Affairs, Anti-Infectives, Tillotts Pharma AG.