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Enterome to develop microbiome-based treatment for IBD
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Enterome Bioscience SA has signed an exclusive global license agreement with Vertex Pharmaceuticals to develop and market novel small molecule FimH antagonists for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, according to a press release.
This year, the company plans to perform the first human clinical trials of the development program’s lead compound, EB 8018, which targets Adherent Invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) proliferation in the gut, a primary cause of inflammatory colitis in patients with IBD.
AIEC, which Enterome identified using its metagenomics platform, “adheres to gut epithelial cells by virtue of FimH adhesion proteins on its cell surface, which bind to the CEACAM6 receptor on gut epithelial cells and allow the bacterial cells to invade the gut wall and proliferate,” according to the press release. “Research has shown the blocking FimH prevents the adherence and proliferation of AIEC, thereby reducing inflammation and providing new opportunities for the prevention and treatment of IBD.”
“The rapid growth of evidence supporting the involvement of the microbiome in serious diseases is providing myriad new opportunities and targets for therapeutic intervention with small molecule drugs,” Pierre Belichard, CEO of Enterome, said in the press release. “The unique insights we have gained on the roles of specific constituents of the gut microbiome brought through our metagenomics platform strongly supports the central role of AIEC in inflammatory bowel diseases. Through this in-licensing agreement we are delighted to gain access to these novel FimH antagonists including EB 8018, which ... we believe could be transformative for the management and treatment of IBD.”
In a separate press release, Enterome announced it has raised 14.5 million euros in a Series C financing round, with Nestle Health participating as a new strategic investor. The funds will be used to advance EB 8018 into clinical trials, to advance therapeutic programs in immuno-oncology, and to pursue development efforts in diagnostics for IBD and other microbiome-related diseases.
Disclosure: Belichard is employed by Enterome.