Cmbio and Nimble Science to deliver insights from small intestine using capsule device

Digital biology specialist Cmbio has partnered with Nimble Science to deliver “first-in-class” multi-omic data insights from the small intestine.

Nimble Science recently launched its SIMBA GI Health Data Platform, which pairs with an ingestible capsule device that collects and preserves precise samples directly from the small intestine when swallowed.

Cmbio will leverage this platform, combined with its expertise in microbiome research, to advance personalized healthcare for its clients.

Sampling from the small intestine is critical to health but has been historically difficult to access. Through their targeted approach, the partners offer a more direct approach compared to typical fecal or endoscopic samples.

“This collaboration marks an important step in our mission to decode the microbiome’s role in health and disease,” says Anders Grøn, CEO of Cmbio.

“By incorporating Nimble’s innovative data platform into our multi-omics services, we can now offer our clients access to previously unreachable data from the small intestine. This will enable deeper scientific discoveries and accelerate the development of innovative microbiome-based solutions.”

Unique data insights

The small intestine plays a pivotal role in nutrient absorption, immune function and metabolic regulation. However, due to its inaccessibility, research has often relied on fecal samples as proxies for gut health — providing only partial insights.

Nimble’s SIMBA capsule collects uncontaminated fluid biopsies directly from the small intestine (Image credit: Nimble Science).

Nimble’s SIMBA capsule overcomes this limitation by collecting uncontaminated fluid biopsies directly from the small intestine.

As an early adopter of capsule sampling tech, Cmbio previously assisted Nimble Science in developing and validating the data quality of its innovative approach.

The collaboration will provide clients with insights such as identifying microbiota-driven mechanisms that impact nutrient absorption, immune modulation and metabolic pathways, paving the way for targeted therapies and precision interventions.

“By providing insights into host-microbiota interactions and their roles in health and disease, Cmbio and Nimble Science aim to accelerate innovation in areas such as live biotherapeutics development, dietary interventions and precision medicine,” highlight the partners.

SIMBA capsule mechanism

It uses a proprietary mechanism that shields samples from contamination and preserves nucleic acids during their journey through the digestive tract, ensuring highly accurate and reliable data for analysis. The fluid samples are ideal for multi-omic analyses, including metagenomics, metabolomics and proteomics, enabling researchers to explore microbial activity and metabolite production with exceptional precision.

“The ability to interrogate the small intestine directly with endoscopy-quality, scalable data collected via our simple home-use capsule kits has been transformative for our customers,” says Sabina Bruehlmann, CEO of Nimble Science.

“Partnering with Cmbio allows them to integrate this data into the most advanced multi-omics platforms available today. Together, we are advancing microbiome research and personalized medicine.”

This collaboration aims to support a wide range of industries, including pharmaceuticals, nutrition, diagnostics and consumer health.

For example, pharmaceutical companies could leverage small intestine data to develop more effective drugs for conditions like inflammatory bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome by understanding how medications interact with the gut microbiome in the small intestine. 

Next-generation precision

Global interest in precision healthcare and nutrition is ramping up, with Hologram Sciences recently speaking on AI’s potential to further accelerate the field at the 2024 World Economic Forum. Nutrition Insight caught up with the company’s co-founder and CEO about how its AI software optimizes dietary plans to an individual’s health and sustainability considerations.

In other developments in personalized dietary interventions, organic micronutrient start-up Biovit received £1.5 million (US$2,005,950) from Innovate UK last September to create the world’s “most accurate” AI-driven personalized nutrition system, set for a UK National Health Service trial this year.

Meanwhile, US nutrigenomic platform GenoPalate partnered with employee benefits company ThrivePass in the same month to offer access to personalized nutritional insights based on a person’s DNA. These include dietitian-crafted recipe bundles and personalized vitamin offerings to enhance individual wellness plans.

Responding to a need to further democratize access to personalized nutrition to treat and manage chronic diseases, US-based digital platform Heali developed a “food-as-medicine” app demonstrating clinical-grade health outcomes. The company netted US$3 million in seed funding for its app from the nation’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention.