Interventions that promote healthy microbiome acquisition in infants key to curbing chronic childhood diseases
- Interventions that promote healthy microbiome acquisition in infants key to curbing chronic childhood diseases
- Limitations of microbiome sequencing and analyses widely recognised but large cohort longitudinal studies are enabling researchers to move away from the limitations of snapshot microbiome characterisation
- Engraftment data key to guiding new microbial product discovery and design, with strain level precision
- Public and private investment in the microbiome industry estimated to be $1.5bn to date, with significant deal-flow in Europe, USA, Canada and Asia.
Paris, France – 5 November 2018 – Taking on board learnings from challenges already faced and focusing on advanced, longer-term studies of variables within microbiome research will be key to fostering confidence and integration between experts working in the microbiome and those working in pure therapeutics says a new report written by Isabelle de Cremoux, CEO and Managing Partner at Seventure Partners, one of Europe’s leaders in financing innovation, and a world-leader in the venture investment in the microbiome sector.
Published today at the start of the BIO-Europe in Copenhagen, the report ‘Future Prospects of Microbiome-Related Diseases and Microbiome-Directed Therapies’ focuses on the gut microbiome and talks to the future of research and collaboration in the field.
The report focuses the way the sector is broken out into key research and development areas and the need for microbiome research to be more holistic. It calculates that public and private investment in the microbiome industry estimated to be $1.5bn to date, with significant deal-flow in Europe, USA, Canada and Asia.
Key areas of potential covered by the report include interventions that promote healthy microbiome acquisition in infants as a key to curbing chronic childhood diseases. In addition, data from microbial engraftment are proving invaluable to guiding new microbial product discovery and design, with strain level precision.
The report notes that whilst limitations of microbiome sequencing and analyses are widely recognised, large cohort longitudinal studies are now enabling researchers to move away from the limitations of snapshot microbiome characterisation.
“There is no doubt that the microbiome industry is on a rapid growth trajectory, with a real sense of momentum. However, we are at a stage where we are testing the translational potential of this industry through a combination of hands-on experience and trial and error,” said Isabelle de Cremoux, CEO and Managing Partner, Seventure Partners.
“This is undoubtedly a high-risk industry with great reward potential. We are progressing scientifically and clinically in areas where there is a real unmet need and it is likely that the next decade will see strong integration between microbiome experts and experts in pure therapeutic disciplines such as cancer and neurology. We are also approaching a stage where the first microbiome trials will read out Phase III data and many others will read out Phase II data. The results of these trials will be crucial in maintaining industry confidence in bugs as drugs and in using microbiome platforms as new generation for drug discovery,” she added.
To request a copy of the full report email contact@seventure.fr with your full contact details.
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Notes To Editors
About Seventure Partners
With around €700m in assets under management as of the end of 2017, Seventure Partners is a leading venture capital firm in Europe. Since 1997, Seventure Partners has been investing in innovative businesses with high growth potential in two fields: Life sciences across Europe, Israel, Asia and North America and Digital technologies in France and Germany.
In life sciences, the four areas of focus include biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, digital/connected health and medtech, industrial biotechnology, and last but not least: the MICROBIOME, nutrition, foodtech and personalized medicine. Investments can range between €500k and €10m per round, or up to €20m per company, from early to late stage.
In December 2013, Seventure Partners successfully launched Health for Life Capital™ that invests in lifesciences worldwide, with a core focus on the microbiome revolution and its applications in human health and nutrition. The €160m fund has attracted strategic investments from prestigious organizations including Danone, Tereos, Tornier, Lesaffre, Bel and Novartis, as well as entrepreneurs and financial institutions.
In March 2018, Seventure Partners launched AVF, a new fund dedicated to invest in innovative solutions for animal nutrition, feed and health. Adisseo is one of the first strategic partners of the fund.
For more details: www.seventure.fr/en Twitter: @seventurep
About Health For Life Capital™
Seventure Partners launched Health for Life Capital™, the first venture capital fund focused mainly on investments in the microbiome and nutrition space. Europe is the primary focus of the fund, but it also invests in North America, Asia and Israel. The €160m fund attracted strategic investments from prestigious organisations including Danone, Novartis, Tereos, Tornier, Lesaffre and Bel, as well as financial institutions and entrepreneurs. Health for Life Capital™ is managed by Seventure’s Life sciences team.
About The Microbiome
The microbiome, which consists in all the micro-organisms that reside in and on the human body, is an exciting and fast-developing new field at the interface of pharmaceuticals and nutrition, offering abundant opportunities for developing new medicines. The composition and functionality of the bacterial ecosystem forming a large part of the microbiome, in the gut and elsewhere, has been linked to various health conditions, among which acne, psoriasis and allergies, gastrointestinal ailments, Crohn’s disease, obesity, diabetes, autism, depression or cancer. There are approximately 10 times more bacteria than human cells in the body, and over a hundred times more bacterial genes than human ones. The multitude of biological processes and indications affected by the bacterial ecosystem within the human microbiome, makes its balance critical to health. Understanding and maintaining and adequate balance of species within this complex ecosystem is an important goal for future medical progress, especially in the area of preventing and treating chronic diseases.
For further information please contact:
Seventure Partners
Isabelle de Cremoux
CEO and Managing Partner
T: + 33 1 58 19 22 77
E: isabelle.decremoux@seventure.
Media enquiries (France)
Agence Yucatan
Caroline Prince-Albagnac
T: +33 1 53 63 27 35
E: cprince@yucatan.fr
Media enquiries (International)
Instinctif Partners
Sue Charles / Gemma Harris
T: +44 20 7866 7860
E: seventure@instinctif.com
