Caelus Health, which develops food supplements and pharmaceutical products for the prevention, early treatment and management of cardio-metabolic diseases, is entering into a strategic collaboration with Nestlé Health Science (NHSc). The aim is to further develop and ultimately commercialize food supplements based on specific microbiota for the purpose of early intervention and nutritional management of diabetes and certain liver disorders.
The Global Development & Option agreement provides Caelus with funding from an experienced partner to further pursue the preclinical and clinical development of its lead microbiome-based products. The most advanced product is based on Eubacterium hallii (E. hallii) and will be further tested in an upcoming clinical study in obese subjects at risk of Type 2 diabetes. According to the agreement, NHSc has an option to obtain exclusive global commercial rights related to E. hallii. The strategic partnership also covers the interest of NHSc in future pipeline products of Caelus Health.
Over the past decade, Caelus has established a platform based on a close cooperation with the institutes of its’ scientific founders: Professor Max Nieuwdorp at the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam, and Professor Willem M. de Vos at Wageningen University. The platform uses the potential of Fecal Microbiota Transplant studies as a discovery tool in cardio-metabolic diseases. This has resulted in a pipeline of various intestinal microorganisms proprietary to Caelus. The partnership will provide NHSc with access to the know-how of the founders of Caelus and to the product pipeline as basis for nutritional products.
Luc Sterkman MD, CEO of Caelus said,
“We are thrilled to announce this agreement which allows Caelus to advance its lead products in further development on a fast track to the global launch of food supplements targeting cardio metabolic disorders.”