Pharmacist Medication Insights: Bezlotoxumab for Clostridium Difficile Infection

Bezlotoxumab (Zinplava) was approved in October 2016 by the FDA to reduce recurrence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in patients 18 years of age or older receiving antibacterial drug treatment for CDI. The human monoclonal antibody binds to Clostridium difficile toxin B and is given in a single 10-mg/kg dose administered via intravenous infusion over 60 minutes.

Patients who are candidates for the antibacterial drug treatment for CDI have 1 or more of the following risk factors:

• History of CDI in the previous 6 months
• Patients ≥ 65 years of age
• Patients who are immunocompromised
• Severe CDI (Zar score ≥ 2)