Zhendong Pharmaceutical Announces Publication of Phase IIb Study of Investigational Vaginal Lactobacillus Capsule in the National Medical Journal of China

BEIJING, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Zhendong Pharmaceutical announced that results from a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase IIb study evaluating its investigational Live Double Combined Lactobacillus Capsule for Vaginal Use for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis (BV) were published in the National Medical Journal of China. The eight-center study randomized 66 patients in an approximately 2:1 ratio to the investigational product or placebo.

The primary endpoint was assessed at 7 to 16 days post-treatment (D21–30). Clinical cure rates were 52.4% in the investigational group and 31.8% in the placebo group (P=0.117), a 20.6-percentage-point numerical difference favoring the investigational product. At D15-18, secondary endpoints showed statistically significant differences: clinical cure rates of 57.1% vs 22.7% (P=0.009) and bacteriological cure rates of 54.8% versus 27.3% (P=0.036). 

Exploratory analyses found a 54.8% vaginal colonization rate for the administered strains at D21-30. Colonization occurred in 81.8% of clinically cured participants versus 25% of uncured participants (P=0.001). Median relative vaginal Lactobacillus abundance changed 6.64% from baseline in the investigational group versus -0.04% in the placebo group (P=0.001).

Drug-related adverse events during treatment occurred in 11.6% of the investigational group and 8.7% of the placebo group, with no statistically significant between-arm difference (P=1.000). No serious adverse events related to the investigational product were reported. The findings provide clinical data for designing and planning the sample size of a larger, confirmatory Phase III study.

BV involves vaginal microbiota dysbiosis and depletion of Lactobacillus-dominant microbiota. Current antibacterial treatments target anaerobic bacterial overgrowth but may fail to restore normal vaginal microbial balance, underscoring the need for alternatives. The investigational capsule contains Lactobacillus gasseri and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus at 1 × 10⁸ CFU per capsule and was administered intravaginally twice daily for 14 days. It is designed to help restore vaginal microbial balance through competitive colonization, lactic acid production to maintain an acidic environment, and hydrogen peroxide production.

The peer-reviewed study was published on August 4 in the National Medical Journal of China, 2026;106(28):2958-2965, DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn112137-20260328-00828. Trial registration: NCT07418918.

Forward-Looking Statement: This release contains forward-looking statements regarding future clinical development, including potential Phase III evaluation. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and actual development outcomes may differ materially from current expectations.