Clostridium difficile or C. diff. is a growing crisis in the U.S. with over 29,000 deaths and 500,000 cases annually, according to the CDC. The disease, which CDC officials warned can kill people in less than 30 days, is characterized by severe diarrhea, fever, and loss of appetite. Sadly, many elderly and infirmed patients are among the most vulnerable.

Roseville, Minn.-based Rebiotix is one of a handful of companies looking to harness the human microbiome into a treatment for recurrent C. diff, which impacts about 20-30% of patients, where there are currently no approved drugs to treat patients with two or more recurrences. Rebiotix is currently in Phase 2 clinical trials for the treatment, which harnesses gut microbiota and turns them into therapies. The company hopes recurrent C. diff is just the 1st in a pipeline of treatments than can be derived from the microbiome.

On this episode of DeviceTalks we discuss C.diff with Reviotix CEO Lee Jones. What personal stories led her to this mission; How powerful the human microbiome will be in the future of combating disease and the differences between running a medtech company and a biotech company.