Targeted gut treatments that survive harsh GI conditions
Technology Investment FundCurrent treatments for inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis rely on antibody therapies that must be injected into the bloodstream. These treatments often fail to work for many patients and can cause serious side effects.
Gastrobody Therapeutics is developing a novel class of orally-administered biologics designed to survive the harsh conditions of the gastrointestinal tract.
After nine years of research, the team from the Department of Pharmacology has developed a patented antibody mimetic that can be taken orally. These gastrobodies combine the targeting precision of antibodies with the evolved stability of a soybean protein that resists degradation in the GI tract. Unlike traditional therapies, gastrobodies remain intact in the GI tract and act locally at sites of inflammation, reducing side effects and improving patient experience. They do not require refrigeration and can be manufactured at a fraction of the cost of conventional antibodies.
Gastrobodies offer a promising therapeutic platform for GI tract diseases, combining precise targeting with the unique ability to remain stable in the acidic and enzyme-rich environment of the gut.
“After 9 years of research, we have created an antibody mimetic that you can eat. It is highly targeted and resists the acids and enzymes in your GI tract, so it can be orally administered. It doesn't require any refrigeration and can be manufactured at a fraction of the cost of traditional antibodies.”
Dr Watanabe also commented,
“There are over 5 million IBD patients globally suffering with the horrible, painful symptoms of this disease, which massively detriments their quality of life. So there is both a dire clinical need and huge market opportunity.”
Co-founded and led by Dr Yasunori Watanabe (CEO), Dr Ana Rossi (CSO) and Professor Mark Howarth (Advisor), the company has received £1M in non-dilutive grant funding and is supported by Cambridge Enterprise, having joined the Founders at the University of Cambridge START 2.0 accelerator programme, received investment from our Technology Investment Fund and is now forming part of the Cambridge Enterprise Ventures portfolio. They are currently collaborating with academic and industry partners to advance their platform and therapeutic pipeline.
Gastrobody was selected as one of four University of Cambridge projects to receive funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) as part of its new £9 million Proof of Concept Programme. This funding will support the development of these orally administered antibody mimetics and will be leveraged to test them in vivo, helping to advance the technology towards clinical application.
