Findings are expected to inform innovative approach to treating IBD
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Gusto Global, LLC announces an expansion of its partnership with the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation to advance groundbreaking technical development for a prognostic linking predictive microbiome-based biomarkers to sustainable remission.
With inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affecting nearly 1 in 100 Americans and growing, the need for precision-oriented tools to gain microbiome insights and improve treatment protocols is urgent. Dr. Daniel van der Lelie, CEO of Gusto Global, illustrates the driving force accelerating the collaboration, “Our vision is to provide an unprecedented view into critical IBD biomarkers and equip patients with never-before-seen perspective to monitor disease onset, progression, and treatment response, paving a much clearer path towards interventions that lead to long-term success. Reducing the burden of taking medications that only address symptoms is not a distant goal but an immediate requirement.”
The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation previously funded development of Gusto’s rigorously defined and systematically profiled community of bacteria aiming to treat IBD by rebalancing a healthy microbiome (Nature Communications). Andres Hurtado-Lorenzo, PhD, VP of Translational Research and IBD Ventures at Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation expressed enthusiasm for this unique strategy, “Through our IBD Ventures investment in Gusto Global, we are catalyzing the advancement of innovative microbiome-based therapeutics. We are excited about the potential of this technology to provide a novel approach to induce sustained remission in patients with IBD.”
The expansion of the partnership recognizes that the computational platform that enables Gusto’s smart Live Biotherapeutic Product design can be advanced to also confirm microbial biomarkers indicative of IBD pathology and offer actionable patient insights.
Angela Dobes, Vice President, IBD Plexus, Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, stated, “We are delighted to expand the relationship with Gusto Global to better understand disease progression – an area of high unmet need in IBD – and generate a novel dataset to drive new insights and advance progress towards precision medicine.”
The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation is providing access to its IBD Plexus platform, one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of IBD data, information, and bio samples. Guided by the patient voice, IBD Plexus unites the research community to answer the most important questions in IBD. This access allows Gusto to further validate the pioneering sequencing and computational capabilities of its Tapestry® platform. Tapestry® aims to provide high-resolution individual microbiome signatures from stool and blood samples – advancing the promise of precision medicine for IBD.
About Gusto Global
Gusto Global is at the forefront of microbiome innovation, harnessing novel sequencing and computational technologies for an intricate understanding of the impact of microorganisms on human health. With over six decades of collective experience in the fields of microbiology, molecular biology and the modeling of bacterial behavior, Gusto’s team transcends conventional understanding. Gusto’s Tapestry® platform integrates well understood mechanistic interactions between microbes and humans into clinical applications that will fundamentally change healthcare. The Company’s current programs target immune-mediated diseases and oncology. Gusto’s mission is to detect and provide optimal treatment options and outcomes for conditions that impact or have been impacted by the human microbiome. For more information, visit http://www.gustoglobal.com.
About the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation
The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation is the leading nonprofit organization focused on both research and patient support for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), with the mission of curing Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and improving quality of life for the millions of Americans living with IBD. The Foundation’s work is dramatically accelerating the research process, while also providing extensive educational and support resources for patients and their families, medical professionals, and the public. For more information, visit crohnscolitisfoundation.org, call 888-694-8872, or email info@crohnscolitisfoundation.org.
Publication Reference
van der Lelie, D., Oka, A., Taghavi, S. et al. Rationally designed bacterial consortia to treat chronic immune-mediated colitis and restore intestinal homeostasis. Nat Commun 12, 3105 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-23460-x
Contacts
Mark Spizer, COO
mspizer@gustoglobal.com
