NovoBiome to develop research platform for gut microbiota and live biotherapeutic products

28 Jun 2021 --- NovoBiome is building a “disruptive” ex-vivo research and discovery platform called NovoSift to analyze the symbiotic relationship between the microbiota and the human intestine. 

The new platform will “rationally identify” live biotherapeutic products (LBPs) based on a better understanding of functions and mechanisms. 

The partnership further aims to use confocal microscopy and artificial intelligence to measure the impact of interactions between the microbiota and the host. This includes intestinal permeability in the presence or absence of molecules, probiotics, prebiotics or foods.

Together with the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), NovoBiome will develop a functional metagenomic approach using innovative reporter systems.

“NovoBiome is a biotech spin-off of INRAE's MetaGenoPolis unit. As such, the links between the company and INRAE are very close,” NovoBiome CEO Pierre-Yves Mousset, tells NutritionInsight.

“Moreover, a new five-year agreement has been signed between the two structures to enable the pooling of human and material resources.” 

NovoBiome’s ex-vivo platform NovoSift will “rationally identify” LBPs based on a better understanding of functions and mechanisms.“To make a linguistic analogy, after words and syntax, the NovoSift platform aims to decipher the semantics and become the Rosetta Stone of these critical interactions,” Mousset explains. 

Research expectations for LBPs
NovoBiome is a drug discovery company that develops LBPs that target the microbiome-gut-liver axis. 

LBPs are medicinal products containing living micro-organisms such as bacteria or yeasts, which can positively influence the host’s health and physiology. 

“Next-generation sequencing and quantitative metagenomics approaches have enabled the reconstruction of whole genomic entities,” Mousset highlights. 

“In addition, functional metagenomics has allowed access to the potential of bacterial genes of the whole gut microbiota. We now need to understand how these functions are regulated in the host-microbiota relationship.” 

As industry strides toward a better understanding of the gut microbiome, clear scientific and pharmaceutical standards are needed for LBPs. Other prominent companies to venture into this space include Chr Hansen and Lonza’s joint venture Bacthera, Winclove Probiotics and ProBiotix. 

Collaborative support
INRAE’s MetaGenoPolis unit has “world-renowned expertise” and significant knowledge of the metagenomics of the intestinal microbiota, says Philippe Lénée, director of partnership and transfer for innovation at INRAE.

“Our strong commitment to supporting these initiatives has prevailed in the design of a new type of partnership that is flexible and mutually beneficial for both entities.” 

“The shared objective is performance but also efficiency in speeding up the implementation of new concepts,” he comments. 

NutritionInsight has previously reported on how research on the gut microbiome ranges from transplants to tackle long-term COVID-19 symptoms to associating gut microbes with lower disease risks and the “symbiotic relationship” of the gut, brain and beauty-from-within spaces.

By Anni Schleicher