(Lyon, February 16th, 2017) - MaaT Pharma and BIOASTER just entered into an agreement to investigate the potentiality to expand fecal microbiota in vitro. The goal of the collaboration is to develop an adapted fermentation process reproducing a specific microbiota and therefore generating additional amounts of material for Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) purposes. Therapeutic use of FMT showed efficacy in Clostridium difficile eradication and is promising for the treatment and/or prevention of multiple diseases notably iatrogenic diseases. The use of FMT which can be allogenic or autologous comes with safety challenges and the capacity to expand a characterized fecal microbiota in vitro, while challenging, could ease the use of FMT as robust therapeutic alternative.
Part of the work will be performed by a PhD student who will be co-supervised by Dr Joël Doré, MaaT Pharma and Dr Vincent Thomas, BIOASTER, and receiving funding from the Association Nationale de la Recherche et de la Technologie (ANRT).
Hervé Affagard, CEO MaaT Pharma:
“Combining our knowledge on Microbiota and our standard FMT procedure with Bioaster’s capability and knowledge is probably the best draw bar to take this significant challenge. Achieving this objective will open new avenues and expand our therapeutic pipeline using the first European GMP FMT platform.
Nathalie Garcon, CEO&CSO BIOASTER:
“It is a great pleasure for BIOASTER to enter into this ambitious research agreement with MaaT Pharma, a promising local biotech in the field of microbiome. We foresee that technical and scientific challenges that will be tackled by our research consortium will contribute significantly to the standardization and success of therapeutic FMT.”
About BIOASTER
BIOASTER is a Technology Research Institute – TRI –, the only TRI in France in the field of health. Created in 2012, BIOASTER is a new model for technology innovation in microbiology and infectious diseases. Its mission is to lead innovative and ambitious collaborative projects, with and for public and private partners, to the patient benefit.
BIOASTER :
• Conceives and develops new innovative and high value technology solutions, in microbiology and infectious diseases.
• Promotes agility as a way of working: to better meet industries expectations and to answer to innovation financial constraints.
Key figures:
• 7 interconnected state of the art technology units to serve 4 major programs: diagnostics / vaccines / antimicrobials / microbiota.
• 2450m2 laboratories BSL 2 & 3 (LYON & PARIS).
• 123 people, including 80% of scientific experts, 18 different citizenships.
• 48 projects including 19 with private partners 17 with public partners and 10 international projects.
About MaaT Pharma
Founded at the end of 2014 and based in Lyon (France), MaaT Pharma (Microbiota as a Therapy) is a microbiome–based biotech company revolutionizing and shaping individualized therapies to treat serious diseases linked to dysbiosis (gut microbiota imbalances). MaaT Pharma is currently developing its first candidate using its proprietary GMP Fecal Microbiota Transfer Platform for patients suffering from leukemia, bone and joint infections, as these harsh treatments provoke dysbiosis. MaaT Pharma’s revolutionary and rapid approach plays a considerable part in the evolution of individualized treatment therapies. For more information: http://www.maatpharma.com
Follow us on Twitter: @MaaT_Pharma
Follow us on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/maat-pharma
