In recent years, there has been an increased focus on the microbiome. While most would expect the global pandemic to have slowed things down, it has only managed to cause a few disruptions. Isabelle de Cremoux, the CEO and Managing Partner at Seventure Partners, says that microbiome research has not slowed down.
Clinical research, investment, and partnering are all rising in recent years. This development is evident by the total investments in microbiome touching $1.5 billion, which also includes funding from the public.
Recent Growth And Milestones
2020 was a great year for microbiome research, as the field achieved significant milestones. Over 600 microbiome-related patents were issued, a record high.
Nearly 600 clinical trials were initiated, bringing up the total number of related ongoing trials to nearly 2000. The scientific community is also actively participating, and there are rarely any prominent scientific conferences that do not include a session focusing on the subject.
Even the number of events dedicated to the microbiome and related topics and concerns has been increasing exponentially. Recently, the first microbiome-related Phase III trial results were published, as Ferring, Rebiotix, and Seres Therapeutics all concluded their research.
Collaborations thrived as well, and they continue to thrive as Gilead and Second Genome recently announced a collaborative deal that could be worth a billion dollars or more. This example is just one of the many ongoing co-operations, and there are plenty more, increasing the total number and impact of collaborations.
Cremoux says that Seventure’s portfolio companies also recently announced significant deals with leading pharmaceutical companies. Notable deals included a multimillion-dollar investment from Pfizer to Vedanta and a potential deal between Eligo and GSK worth over $200 million.
The growth of the microbiome sector is expected to grow as Seventure is expecting to gain FDA approval and market authorization for the first-ever microbiome-related drug. According to Cremoux, we have only just begun to understand the importance of the microbiome for human health.
Market Expansion
In the past, the study of microbiomes was primarily confined to the gut and its relationship to gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. However, in recent years, the microbiome sector has grown and expanded its potential to encompass a much broader range of focus areas. Researchers have conducted numerous trials and studies on microbiomes, examining the relationship between microbiota and various other symptoms and fields such as infectious diseases, obesity, oncology, neurology, and immunology. These studies have yielded promising results, with researchers discovering the potential for microbiome treatments to aid in the management of a wide range of conditions.
As the microbiome sector continues to expand, there has been growing interest from the cosmetic industry as well. Leading cosmetic companies are now focusing on the skin microbiome and incorporating it into their product development and R&D efforts. This has opened up a new area of study, with researchers exploring the role of the skin microbiome in skin health and its relationship to common skin conditions such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis. By harnessing the power of the skin microbiome, cosmetic companies are creating products that not only provide immediate cosmetic benefits but also support long-term skin health.
The study of microbiomes is rapidly expanding and evolving, with researchers exploring new and innovative ways to harness the power of microbiota to improve human health and well-being. Whether it’s improving gut health or supporting skin health, the potential of microbiome-based treatments is vast and exciting, and researchers are just scratching the surface of what is possible. As the microbiome sector continues to grow and expand, it is likely that we will see even more groundbreaking discoveries and innovative treatments emerge in the years to come.
Microbiome And COVID-19
The pandemic has also highlighted how bacteria-centric microbiome research has come so far and that more focus was needed on other micro-organisms, including viruses. This realization led to dozens of clinical trials investigating the microbiome regarding COVID-19.
Unsurprisingly, recent data suggest a link between the severity and immune response to COVID-19 and the gut microbiome of individuals. Immune health, in general, has been a key focus point for the entire medical and pharmaceutical community since the beginning of the pandemic, and microbiome research is no exception.
Our need for a deeper understanding of immune health has driven more and more investors to support and finance microbiome research. Such research will help identify and understand how we can exploit the microbiome to support immune health.
The Future Of Microbiome
The future of the microbiome seems brighter than ever, with recent estimates predicting the global microbiome therapeutics market to reach a value of almost $150 million by 2025. There is also a wide range of applications that are yet to be captured or capitalized.
Apart from strictly scientific applications of treatments and drugs, the human microbiome may also expand into personalized nutrition, weight loss products, dietary supplements, and more. Cremoux believes that this is just the start of the growth of the microbiome industry, and she expects exponential growth as we now live in the century of the microbiome.
