Gilead Strikes $1.5B Microbiome Collaboration with Second Genome to Discover Novel IBD Targets and Biomarkers

Compiled by S. Li

On April 6, Gilead Sciences announced a four-year collaboration with Second Genome, a biopharmaceutical company focused on microbiome research. The two parties will jointly work to develop new biomarkers to track clinical responses to Gilead’s anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic drugs, and to identify new potential therapeutic targets and drug candidates for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Under the agreement, Second Genome will leverage its microbiome analysis platform to identify biomarkers associated with clinical response for Gilead’s investigational product pipeline. By applying the latest research findings in microbiology, they will help researchers stratify patients in clinical trials and optimize treatment regimens in subsequent therapies. Furthermore, they will integrate this platform with other drug development tools to discover and identify new targets and candidate drugs for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The two companies aim to identify up to five novel IBD targets or candidate drugs over the next four years, with an option to extend the collaboration term by an additional two years.

In return, Second Genome will receive a $38 million upfront payment. Throughout the collaboration, it is eligible to receive up to approximately $300 million in milestone payments per project, contingent upon successful preclinical development, clinical development, and final commercialization of each project, amounting to a total of approximately $1.5 billion across five projects. Additionally, Second Genome will earn royalties of 10%–15% on net sales once products are commercially launched. Furthermore, Second Genome will receive additional payments for any clinically validated biomarker delivered under the agreement.

Gilead will hold the exclusive global option rights for the aforementioned R&D projects, as well as the exclusive rights to co-develop any biomarkers.

William Lee, Executive Vice President of Global Research and Development at Gilead Sciences, stated, “Growing evidence indicates that the microbiome plays a significant role in disease progression and treatment response in inflammatory diseases. We look forward to collaborating with Second Genome to investigate the role of the microbiome in inflammatory diseases, particularly inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).”

Karim Dabbagh, CEO of Second Genome, stated, “Second Genome seeks to redefine disease from the perspective of the microbiome and leverage this invaluable resource to identify potential biomarkers and therapies.” “We believe that the microbiome can provide deep insights into patient heterogeneity and responses to specific therapies,” Dabbagh added. “These variations enable the identification of critical biomarkers, thereby advancing precision medicine, improving patient stratification, and optimizing combination therapies.”

Human Microbiome Research refers to the study of microbial communities on and within the human body, along with their genomics, involving next-generation sequencing, high-throughput sequencing, and bioinformatics technologies. The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched the Human Microbiome Project in 2007. In recent years, this field has given rise to numerous biotech startups and attracted the involvement of large pharmaceutical companies. In 2018, Johnson & Johnson entered into an agreement with BiomX for a collaborative project aimed at identifying IBD-related biomarkers through microbiome research.

References:

1.Gilead taps Second Genome for microbiome biomarker help in a potential $1.5B deal

2.Gilead Sciences and Second Genome Announce Strategic Collaboration in Biomarker and Inflammatory Bowel Disease Drug Discovery