Any
new development in life science and healthcare starts with baby steps and
slowly but surely takes the world by storm. Whether it is small molecule based,
high-end genomics guided targeted cancer therapy or the immuno-checkpoint inhibitors
which are taking cancer treatment to the next level of personalization and
precision.
In
the last decade one small buzz word has created quite a noise and is bringing hope
that indeed wellness and personalized treatment is a possibility – enter the
world of the “microbiome”. The term microbiome means the entire genome of
the microbiota ecosystem. The advent of microbiome research parallels the
advancement in next generation sequencing (NGS). Before NGS came into the
picture, microbiology-based study could rely only on culturing microorganisms
in the lab which had its own drawbacks. Now, with advanced sequencing technologies
and smart algorithms it is possible to dissect the microbial ecosystem without
the need to culture microorganisms in the lab.
Human
intestine harbors the maximum number of commensal organisms which are into a
delicate relationship with the host. It is therefore not a surprise that maximum
gut microbiota based studies are published which look into how gut microbiota
plays an important role in human health and wellness.
Do
you know:-
Ø Metagenomic sequencing of fecal samples has identified
3.3 × 106 nonredundant microbial genes from up to 1,150
different species, outnumbering human protein-coding genes by about 150-fold
Ø Each person is estimated to host at least 160
different species
Ø In 2007, only
14 NIH grants contained the word “microbiome” in their titles or abstracts, and
the number went up to 1,043 in 2017
Ø More than 10000 papers published in the last 3 years
on “gut microbiota”
With
new studies and developments in the gut microbiome space, it would suffice to
say-
“If eyes are the
windows to the soul, then gut microbiome is the window to your health”
The
industry has also taken a leaf and are dwelling into various aspects of the
microbiome space. Companies like Leucine Rich Bio (India), Day Two (Israel),
Viome (USA), UBiome (USA), Microba (Australia) etc. are taking the
developments in the research to consumers directly by providing easy to use at
home gut health tests. And there are companies like Enterome (France), Vedanta
Bioscience (USA), Seres Therapeutics (USA) etc. that are looking into
tapping the therapeutic potential of the microbiome and thus bringing new
paradigms in treatment of various type of cancer, IBD, IBS etc.
Investors
especially in the Western world have and are putting lot of faith in these new
age companies. Most notably Seventure Partners that have funded a slew
of microbiome companies in Europe and the US.
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Although,
lot many research and studies will be needed in future to validate the
interesting leads that the microbiome domain throws up yet it is pertinent that
all stakeholders especially clinicians and investors in Asia also support this
with less skepticism and more openness as the success of the microbiome can
lead to a new era of healthcare and wellness
