The award, given out as part of the EU’s Horizon 2020 Program, is also earmarked by the firm to tailor probiotic interventions to recover damaged gut microbiota and develop multi-strain libraries in preparation.
“MyBiotics' technology enables the transformation of beneficial bacteria to clinically efficient products,” explains David Daboush, CEO of MyBiotics Pharma.
“Our proprietary, microbial nature-driven, enhanced technology combined with microbes with potential health benefit, holds the potential to greatly improve existing probiotic solutions.
"The Horizon 2020 Program grant is a significant validation and strong vote of confidence in MyBiotics and will support our development of more effective, next generation probiotics," he adds.
Information on the project centres on MyBiotics’ technology that aims to overcome current issues facing today’s probiotics, specifically the delivery of sufficient numbers and variety to the gut.
The technology MBSelect, uses fermentation methods to grow complex bacteria communities on micro-particles, dry it to powder and place into capsules to be administered like any probiotic supplement.
The ultimate aim is for MBSelect to remove the reliance on a biological sample and add a formulation of multi-strain communities of human bacteria, grown in pre-selected clusters in any combination.
Phase 1 feasibility study
The Israeli- firm adds that for the first time, the technology enables the creation of personalised, microbiome-based probiotics, that could aid recovery from illness or chronic conditions, tailored to the needs of different ethnicities, age, and gender.
MyBiotics won and executed a phase one feasibility study in 2015, which served as a basis for its development since and for this project application.
“MyBiotics’ objectives in this project are to complete the development of the MBSelect technology,” the project brief states.
“The aim is to then develop the first three probiotic products, scale them to industrial level, test them, and produce the first batch for initial commercial market testing immediately following the project; followed by full EU & US commercialisation and scaling.”
The project, which has an end date of May 31, 2022 scheduled in, also makes use of its Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered platform that has enabled the design of unique microbial consortia and whole microbiome profiles.
It has also contributed to the company's pipeline, which includes MBX-SD-201 and MBX-SD-202, for Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI) developed for oral delivery,
The firm says the strains may become the first alternative for faecal microbiota transplant (FMT) offering a safe and reproducible microbiome restoration product.
MBX-SD-202 will enter Phase I clinical studies in 2021. Additional products in the pipeline focus on woman's health, gastro and oncology indications, as well as probiotics and prebiotic programs.
Ferring Holding deal
In 2018, the firm had entered into a second option agreement with Ferring Holding for the validation of MyBiotics' microbiome-based therapeutics in the field of women's health.
"This partnership with MyBiotics is another indication of our commitment to discover and develop innovative microbiome-based treatments," said Dov Kanner, director of Ferring Holding.
"It is clear by now that the microbiome is of profound importance to a wide variety of pathologies, ranging from digestive disorders through obesity, immune disorders, women's health and more.
“We believe that MyBiotics' technology will enable the development of such therapies, potentially offering treatment to millions of people around the globe," he added.
This agreement follows the first agreement between the two parties signed in June 2017, for the validation of MyBiotics' technology in the treatment of a non-disclosed gastroenterology condition.