Microbial therapy offers new hope for vitiligo patients

A natural compound derived from gut-friendly bacteria significantly slows the progression of vitiligo and may restore pigmentation, reports a new Northwestern University pre-clinical study in mice.

The findings could offer hope to millions affected by the autoimmune disease, which causes visible patches of skin discoloration and carries profound emotional and physical consequences.

“The results in our model were astonishing,” said senior study author I. Caroline Le Poole, a professor of dermatology and microbiology-immunology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

“We found that administering a microbial compound weekly…