"Treatment with Microorganisms"... Domestic Bio Companies Accelerate Microbiome Development

Accelerating Microbiome Research
Government and Institutions Also Step Up Support and Development

[Asia Economy Reporter Myunghwan Lee] Domestic pharmaceutical and bio companies are actively engaging in the development of microbiome-based new drugs using microorganisms.

Celltrion signed a joint research and development contract on microbiome Parkinson's disease treatment with Rescue BioSciences, a domestic microbiome new drug development company, on the 17th. Under this contract, the two companies plan to jointly develop an oral microbiome-based live biotherapeutic for Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's disease is known to occur due to the accumulation of degenerated alpha-synuclein in the brain caused by dopamine deficiency and microbial imbalance in the gut, and the aim is to treat this with a new drug utilizing the microbiome.

The photo is not related to the article content.

The microbiome refers collectively to various microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses living in the human body. The number of microbiomes in our body is more than twice the number of pure human cells, with an adult male estimated to have about 38 trillion microbiomes. The microbiome is beneficial in various aspects of the human body, including digestion, immunity, and brain health. It helps smooth digestion while lowering cholesterol levels, regulating blood sugar, and aiding the production of brain neurotransmitters.

Domestic bio companies are also focusing on microbiome-based new drug research and development (R&D). Genome & Company, which develops microbiome-based pharmaceuticals and target-based immuno-oncology drugs, is conducting a Phase 2 clinical trial of its microbiome-based new drug candidate ‘GEN-001’. Gobio Lab, which possesses foundational technology based on the microbiome, completed three technology exports as of the end of last year. This company is recognized for its capability to control the entire process from basic research to clinical development. CJ Bioscience, part of CJ Group which re-entered the bio industry after selling CJ Healthcare (now HK Innoen), is also focusing on microbiome-based new drug development. CJ Bioscience, born from acquiring ChunLab which has microbiome-based new drug development capabilities, is increasing its R&D investment scale.

The government and related institutions are also supporting the fostering of the microbiome sector. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced its support plan for bio R&D this year, designating the microbiome as a key support area. Specifically, the ministry plans to invest 7.29 billion KRW in the development of human microbiome technology and support for pharmaceutical product commercialization. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety also stated in last month’s presidential office briefing that it will accelerate the institutionalization of the microbiome. The ministry plans to establish definitions and classification criteria for new technology pharmaceuticals such as microbiomes, and to present approval review data requirements and facility standards considering product characteristics.