Novome Biotechnologies Enters $600M Collaboration with Genentech to Develop Oral Bacterial Therapeutics for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Recently, Novome Biotechnologies announced a multi-year research collaboration and licensing agreement with Genentech, a subsidiary of Roche. The partnership will leverage Novome's proprietary Genetically Engineered Microbial Medicines (GEMMs) platform to discover, engineer, and develop bacterial strains capable of expressing and delivering specific therapeutic agents to lesion sites in the human gut, aimed at treating diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Includes Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. Crohn's disease is a chronic systemic condition characterized by inflammation within the gastrointestinal tract or digestive system, leading to persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, and rectal bleeding during flare-ups. Ulcerative colitis results from an abnormal immune system response and is marked by inflammation of the mucosa in the colon and rectum. Patients diagnosed with moderate to severe symptoms often experience poor prognosis; despite receiving current available treatments, many continue to suffer from fecal urgency, incontinence, recurrent bloody diarrhea, and typically accompanying symptoms such as abdominal pain, poor sleep, and fatigue.

Novome Develops GEMMs Technology Platform by Engineering Lactococcus lactis Commonly Found in Food. These engineered bacteria can controllably and effectively colonize the human gut, delivering targeted therapeutic agents. Colonization refers to the process where bacteria come into contact with the body and adhere, grow, and multiply at specific sites. The inflammatory bowel disease program is the third project in the company’s pipeline, while its lead program targeting enteric hyperoxaluria (EH) has entered Phase 1 clinical trials this year, a common cause of kidney stone formation.

▲Mechanism of action of the GEMMs platform (Image source: Novome Biotechnologies, Inc. official website)

Under the terms of the agreement, Novome will be responsible for research activities involving engineered bacteria up to the initiation of preclinical studies supporting IND authorization. Genentech will lead clinical development and commercialization of the drug candidate. Novome will receive a $15 million upfront payment from Genentech, with potential future development and commercial milestone payments of up to $590 million, as well as tiered royalties on future net sales of the product.

References:

[1] Novome Biotechnologies and Genentech Enter into a Strategic Collaboration to Develop Targets Against Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/11/10/2331578/0/en/Novome-Biotechnologies-and-Genentech-Enter-into-a-Strategic-Collaboration-to-Develop-Targets-Against-Inflammatory-Bowel-Disease.html

(Original text has been abridged)

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