Every microbiome-focused company has its own approach for discovering drug candidates—but rarely is the mechanism of action for a live biotherapeutic product (LBP) known from the outset. Microbiome pharma company ImmunoBiome, however, uses a unique method to verify a drug’s mechanism of action early in the development process. Now the Korea-based company has signed an agreement with the world’s top manufacturer of live biotherapeutic products (LBPs), Biose Industrie, to help clear manufacturing hurdles and advance their lead drug candidate through pre-clinical and clinical trials.
ImmunoBiome’s most advanced LBP candidate is based on the groundbreaking work of Korean immunologist Prof. Sin-Hyeog Im, which focused on discovering potent anti-inflammation therapeutics via the microbiome. The drug candidate is a single strain of lactobacillus with immune-enhancing, anti-cancer effects—and quite uniquely, it has a known mechanism of action, related to a specific polysaccharide identified by the scientists.
Prof. Im, who holds the position of CEO at ImmunoBiome, says,
“By using our unique humanized microbiome model, we’re able to thoroughly screen new microbiome drug candidates and choose the most promising ones. And because our platforms allow us to learn so much about our drug candidates before they enter clinical trials, we are confident that they have a high chance of clinical success.”
AdrienNivoliez, CEO of Biose Industrie, says,
“We are very pleased to be supporting Prof. Im and Dr. Lee from ImmunoBiome in their drive into the clinic. Our collaboration with this leading microbiome biotech company is in line with our objectives to be on the leading edge of manufacturing technologies for this novel class of medicines. We look forward to seeing this medicine achieve its clinical endpoints so it can be used to treat patients soon.”
The manufacturing expertise of Biose Industrie will enable ImmunoBiome to access their world leading process development, GMP scale up and production facilities.
Besides its lead anti-cancer LBP, ImmunoBiome has an entire microbiome drug pipeline focused on immune-related diseases. In addition to the company’s proprietary method for rapidly evaluating candidate therapeutic microbes, it also has a way to identify key components for disease-targeted therapeutics. Multiple Phase 1 trials for patients with inflammation-related diseases are scheduled to begin over the next three years.
About ImmunoBiome
ImmunoBiome is the leading global company developing microbiome therapeutics that target the immune system to address intractable diseases. Founded in 2019 by Prof. Sin-Hyeog Im of the Department of Life Sciences at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) in Korea, the company’s therapeutic candidates are based on unique technologies for screening microbes and testing products in advanced pre-clinical models that mimic the human immune system, resulting in known mechanisms of action.
About Biose Industrie
Biose Industrie is a world leading CDMO for Live Biotherapeutic Products. Founded in 1951 by pharmacists and microbiologists, Biose Industrie has more than 60 years of experience in the development and production of live bacteria-based drugs. The company offers process development specialised in microbiology and is Drug GMP certified for the manufacturing of Drug Substance and Drug Product for clinical and commercial batches.