Alinia -- New Treatment for C. diff.

[Guest]

I talked to Dr. Allen's nurse yesterday, and she mentioned they were successful in treating a C. diff. patient with a new drug called Alinia manufactured by Romark Pharmaceuticals. I don't know much about it. If someone wants to do some research on the Internet, it would be helpful. Please post it in this subtopic.

[Guest]

Alinia is a drug used to treat diarrhea caused by the parasites cryptosporidium and giardia lambia in children. Not a lot of info out there. Apparently it is relatively new and is manufactured by a company based out of Tampa, Florida.

[Guest]

It is apparently a major improvement/advancement over Flagyl. I haven't been able to determine if it is an antibiotic, they don't use that language anywhere in the literature. However, the manufacturer Romark Labs is very interesting. They focus on diseases that afflict very small numbers of people. Their specific focus is on treating infectious diarrhea and cdiff is one of the areas they are doing research on.

[Guest]

There are 4 or 5 studies on it listed at NIH - the studies are targeted primarily at children with AIDS associated diarrhea. Doesn't mean it can't work for c-diff, of course...

[Guest]

My doctor just prescribed it for my 4 yr old daughter for cdiff she 1st was on Flagyl for 10 days, then on 4 days probiotics then started having symptoms again and her stool sample came back she still had cdiff so now the dr prescribed Alinia. I will let you guys know if it works, none of the liturature says anything about cdiff only diarrhea caused by certain intestinal parasitic infections. <BR> <BR>Who knows we are in FLorida too maybe the doctor has an interest in the pharmacutical house.

[Guest]

Alinia is the brand name the company in Florida named Nitazoxanide. I took this drug, NTZ as I call it, before they started manufacturing it for childrens travelers d. It is available in other parts of the world including Mexico. When I was traveling to a dr in NYC he suggested I try it. <BR> <BR>I have had many parasites and c.diff for years and years now and took the NTZ to try and kill some of my parasites. I was very sick on it although I was on super high doses. I still tested positive for my parasites including giardia which it is supposed to target and c.diff. after taking it. <BR> <BR>I did not have success with this drug but I also was very sick with many pathogens when I took it and I truly believe the ecology of our bowel and the condition of our immune systems influence all of this. <BR> <BR>I can not imagine imagine how horrible this has been for you and your little girl. <BR> <BR>I truly hope the drug works for her. By the way I turned very yellow while on it - eyes,skin etc.

[hart1422]

My daughter is a 22 months old was had a postive c diff and was also on flagyl for 10 days. 3 days into the meds it started up again but worse she has the blood in the stool and does not want to eat. She see's a gastro since she was dig with failure to thrive she weighs 20 lbs. They put her on the brat diet and it made he lose more weight she now is at 18.15oz. I know since she still has the blood and watery stools she can't have her pedisure. I just need all the help i can right now i feel so bad for her we also got the new alina drug we are going to try it so see if it helps her out. and other help please let me know...

[tealas]

Jody,

I'm so sorry to hear... there are other mothers on this board that can help you. You may want to post to the "Questions about C.diff" or "Cdiff General Discussion" forums on this message board. Your posting will get more views there.

Can you ask the GI specialist for your daugher if she can take probiotics?? Culturelle and retueri are safe for infants, and they might be able to help her. I would research and ask your doctor!!!

I'm not sure why they are choosing Alina/NTZ? What about Vanco? Did they say why they are ruling it out?

Also my experience with BRAT diet is that it doesn't help when you have bad bacteria (or amoeba). It actually provides more carbs for the bacteria to eat and they flourish. Apple sauce maybe because pectin can bind some toxins. But I would read up about the specific carb diet. You can google it. Veggies and protein and good quality fats. You may want to limit/cut out dairy, lactose hard to digest with C.diff.

There is a wealth of information on this message board and alot of support. You are not alone... hang in there and do more research and you can help your daughter get through this.

Teala

[austindad99]

My wife was treated with Alenia during a c. diff flare for 2 weeks in August 2004 with no change in her symptoms. Hope this helps.

[Bobbie]

fluff

Joined: 21 Oct 2005
Posts: 75

Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 12:48 pm Post subject: Alinia and C Diff

http://www.romark.com/index.php/media_c ... es/31.html

Clinical trials are over treating C diff with Alinia.

Romark Completes Clinical Study of Alinia in Treating Clostridium difficile-Associated Disease
Study Successful in Achieving Primary Efficacy Endpoint
Press Release: Nov 18, 2005
TAMPA, FL – NOVEMBER 18, 2005 - TAMPA, FL – November 18, 2005 – Romark Laboratories announced completion of a prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial comparing Alinia (nitazoxanide) to metronidazole (standard of care) in treating hospitalized adults with Clostridium difficile-associated disease.
The study successfully achieved its primary objective with an 89.5% response rate at study day 8 in nitazoxanide-treated patients compared to 82.4% for metronidazole-treated patients (difference: +7.1%, 95% confidence interval: -7%, +26%).
One-hundred and forty-two patients were enrolled in the study and received either metronidazole 250 mg four times per day for 10 days or nitazoxanide 500 mg twice per day for either 7 or 10 days. Response was evaluated on study days 8 and 31. Patients treated with 10 days of nitazoxande showed a lower recurrence rate (12.5%) than patients treated with metronidazole for 10 days (28.6%) or nitazoxanide for 7 days (25%), although the differences in recurrence rates were not statistically significant.

fluff

Joined: 21 Oct 2005
Posts: 75

Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2005 12:15 am Post subject: Almost 1 week on Alinia - Side effects I've noticed
MAKE SURE YOU TAKE IT WITH FOOD

I've been taking it in the am before I eat and since I've been on this I have been having HORRIBLE stomach pains that almost feels like a sharp pain. Doc says its gas but I'm pretty sure its because I dont eat with it.

Gas.. Extreme amounts of gas.. Dont know if its because of the above but it hurts.

Bright neon yellow urine. The same color if not brighter when your on vitamins. I originally thought it WAS my vitamins but I stopped the vitamins to see if it was and it continued even after so its definately the Alinia.

Slight headaches.. I've been getting headaches off and on since I've been on it.

Will update if I notice anything new.

[fluff]

Welp.. DIDNT WORK FOR ME :( 5 days off of Alinia tested positive for the antigen & toxin.

Back on Vanco.

[Shelly]

My daughter is about to start the alinia medication and I was wondering if there is anyone who has recently been on this and what their experience was. She is 14 and has cdiff for the 4th time in 3months. She has been on flagyl everytime with symptoms subsiding everytime but the cdiff comes back within a week of coming off the meds. They don't want to use vanco for fear she might get the vanco resistant bug because she is special needs. She is also on lactobacillius. She tested positive for cdiff A & B. Any comments would be appreciated......thanks....shelly

[Bobbie]

nsewell
Posted: Sun May 14, 2006 10:55 pm Post subject: Alinia

I just got an email from Nancy Logan about this drug called Alinia formerly Nitazoxanide. She says it looks very promising and you can get more info on it on the web under www.RomarkLabs.com They are now going into phase three for it. There is a large meeting of GI doctors about this drug on 5/20 in southern California. Cross your fingers everyone!! Also you are now able to get it now.

Marcia
Posted: Sun May 14, 2006 11:05 pm
There are a few articles on this treatment. I've read it has some bothersome side effects, hopefully it will work for some.

nancy1
Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 1:49 am I just looked at the website. It says that alinia is an antiprotozoal drug, good for diarrhea caused by giardia or cryptosporidium. Cdiff is not caused by a protozoan but by a bacterium, so I wouldn't think that this drug would help us.

Rose2
Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 3:34 pm

Following up on Marcia's note, there is information about the clinical trials in the section here that posts news stories. It seems they've already tested this drug against flagyl and had some promising results, though the numbers were too small to be statistically significant. I think they are now in trials testing it against vanco.

While this medication was originally developed to fight completely different bugs than c-diff, there seems to be some momentum to be using medications initially developed for various kinds of bugs that cause diarrhea to be tried to combat c-diff. I think Rifaxim is a perfect example of that.

Like Nancy, I'm a bit skeptical, as Alinia is not designed to fend off a bacteria, but who knows what the trials will show? I teeter along this journey on a see-saw of skepticism and hope...

MaryT
Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 10:22 pm

I was prescribed Alinia previously and filled the prescription but never actually took it...it's still in my cabinet...I didn't feel comfortable at the time it was prescribed and to tell you the truth, I can't remember why. I had been in touch with the manufacturer (this was back in July 2005). Following was their response to me about their trials:

'Although Alinia is not yet approved for use in C. difficile-associated
diarrhea, in vitro studies, and in vivo studies in hamsters have shown
excellent results. Anecdotal reports from physicians, who have used
Alinia in patients with C. difficile, have been also very favorable.
Presently, a multi-center double-blind, controlled study comparing Alinia to metronidazole is near completion, and the results will be forth coming.'

[Marcia]

nitazoxanide = Alinia
http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/sto ... ily19.html