"The microbiome is an important area of medical research for Mayo Clinic, and this collaboration represents a broad and significant effort in our attempt to develop therapeutics targeting microbiome-mediated pathways," says Heidi Nelson, M.D., director of the Microbiome Program in the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine.
"We believe that Second Genome’s drug discovery capability complements our clinical expertise, and our hope is that together we can develop new treatment approaches for patients across a wide range of diseases with significant unmet clinical need. The ultimate goal is to improve the lives of patients."
Under the terms of the agreement, Second Genome will identify up to eight clinical indications where the microbiome has a potential role in disease and will collaborate on microbiome research with Mayo Clinic investigators who specialize in each of the designated disease areas.
Mayo Clinic will provide human clinical samples from patients in targeted disease areas, and Second Genome will deploy its proprietary microbiome discovery platform to identify biological pathways implicated in disease.
Further, Second Genome will utilize its platform to discover novel therapies that target these microbiome-mediated pathways. Mayo Clinic will make an equity investment in Second Genome as part of the collaboration. Financial details were not disclosed.
This collaboration enables Second Genome to access Mayo Clinic’s clinical and research expertise in retrospective and prospective studies across a range of diseases. It specifically strengthens Second Genome’s current drug discovery programs in inflammatory bowel disease and metabolic disease, while supporting the company’s move into new areas such as colorectal cancer.
"The importance of the microbiome in a wide range of diseases is increasingly obvious," says Peter B. DiLaura, Second Genome’s CEO.
"Applying microbiome science to novel therapeutic approaches requires a robust platform for understanding the mechanisms of interaction between microbiome and host biology, coupled with deep clinical expertise. We believe that the combined expertise of Second Genome and the world-class clinicians and researchers at Mayo Clinic will accelerate our ability to discover and develop new transformative therapies that improve the lives of patients."