FDBusiness.com

Nestlé Health Science has signed an exclusive agreement outside of the United States and Canada to support the potential future commercialisation of Seres Therapeutics’ novel ‘microbiome therapeutics’. The aim is to treat Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Clostridium difficile (C.diff), an intestinal infection caused by the C.diff bacteria that can be life-threatening in some cases.

Nestlé Health Science will invest SFr121 million (US$120 million) upfront to support Seres’ ‘Ecobiotics’, a new class of biological drugs based upon microbial organisms. These target the microbiome – the 100 trillion microorganisms that live in the body.

Scientific research increasingly links an unhealthy or unbalanced microbiome to a range of health conditions, including IBD and C.diff.

Greg Behar, chief executive of Nestlé Health Science and Seres Therapeutics Board member, says: “With this strategic move we demonstrate our intent to be a leader in bringing breakthrough healthcare approaches to market that transform patient outcomes and create value in healthcare system around the world. We are partnering with Seres, a clear leader in advancing their pipeline in the fast evolving microbiome field. We bring our worldwide footprint and capabilities in managing acute care and gastrointestinal (GI) related conditions through our diagnostics, nutritional solutions and innovative pipeline. Moreover, we bring our strong relationships with key opinion leaders, healthcare professionals and patient organizations as well as our experience in clinical development, regulatory and market access in IBD. Together with Seres Therapeutics, we will focus on successfully bringing this pipeline to patients and create innovative therapeutic approaches.”