Enterome collaborates with BIOASTER Institute to provide new insights into mechanisms of potential microbiome-derived cancer immunotherapies

February 3, 2020

Paris and Lyon, France – ENTEROME SA, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, and BIOASTER, the French Institute for Technological Research in Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, today announced they have entered into a research collaboration. The collaboration will see both parties leverage their respective expertise in understanding the key interactions between the gut microbiota and the immune system to provide new insights on the immunological mechanisms that underpin Enterome’s innovative “Oncomimicry” platform from which its lead cancer immunotherapy programs derive.
Enterome’s Oncomimicry immunotherapy platform is based on the concept of molecular mimicry, in which certain bacterial antigens derived from the gut microbiota display molecular similarities with tumor antigens and neoantigens specific to certain tumors. Those bacterial antigens, called “oncomimics”, have been shown to trigger specific immune responses to certain tumors and are being developed by Enterome as targeted immunotherapeutics. Under the agreement, Enterome will leverage BIOASTER’s expertise in microbiome sciences, microbiology engineering, immune-monitoring and gnotobiology (the science of organisms raised in environments free of germs or those that contain only known germs). In particular, the study will rely on BIOASTER’s proprietary gnotobiotic mouse model, which has a stable, simplified and well-characterized murine intestinal microbiota (GNOTOMICE model), as well as a state-of-the-art immunological platform to explore host-microbiome interactions.

“This collaboration with Enterome is a great opportunity to capitalize on our transversal approach combining technological innovations such as the GNOTOMICE model and BIOASTER’s cross-field expertise in microbiota analyses and vaccine development. These constitute a major asset for supporting industrial players in the development of innovative therapeutic solutions,” commented Nathalie Garçon, CEO of BIOASTER.

“We are delighted to be entering into this collaboration with BIOASTER, a renowned French Institute with significant expertise in studying host-microbiome interactions. With this agreement, which follows our collaborations with leading US institutions last year, we plan to further the demonstration of our immunotherapy approach and validate our unique Oncomimicry platform,” said Christophe Bonny, CSO of Enterome. “We hope that the insights we gain, with the support of BIOASTER’s scientific and technical expertise and our other collaborators, will enable us to advance the development of our novel class of microbiome-derived immunotherapies targeted to a range of cancers.”


About BIOASTER

Created in 2012, following the French initiative of Technological Research Institutes, BIOASTER is a non-for-profit foundation developing a unique technological and innovative model to support the latest challenges in microbiology. In particular, BIOASTER uses and develops high value technological innovations that accelerate development of medical solutions for populations and personalized medicine.

The aim of BIOASTER is to bring together academic, industry and its capacities and specific knowledge to develop and execute high impact collaborative projects requiring industry compatible innovative technologies.

Key figures:

• 4 fields of expertise: antimicrobials, diagnostics, microbiota, vaccines
• 2,450 m2 of BSL2 & BSL3 laboratories in Lyon and Paris;
• 100+ employees, including 80% of scientific experts and representing 17 nationalities;
• 66 projects, involving 26 private partners and 25 public partners.

Additional information about BIOASTER is available through its website: www.bioaster.org


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