COPENHAGEN, Denmark, June 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SNIPR Biome, a pioneer in the development CRISPR-Cas armed phages (CAPs) to prevent and treat bacterial infections, announced today that it has received funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop a microbiome-directed intervention designed to improve environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) by reducing gut entero-pathogen burden in pregnant women from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
EED is a syndrome of the small intestine characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation due to the presence of entero-pathogens, resulting in poor gut health and a reduction in nutrient absorption. In pregnant women, a deficit in nutritional intake or absorption can negatively impact fetal development. By specifically targeting gut entero-pathogens, SNIPR Biome may be able to improve EED and pregnancy outcomes in low- and middle-income countries.
The aim of this grant is to generate CRISPR-armed phages (CAPs) from SNIPR Biome’s extensive phage library that has a broad and robust antibacterial activity on Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae strains sourced from sites in LMICs. SNIPR Biome has developed an existing CRISPR-armed phage cocktail (SNIPR001) comprising four CAPs broadly targeting E. coli, which will be leveraged in this project.
Christian Grøndahl, CEO, Co-founder, SNIPR BIOME commented: “We are honored and grateful for the trust that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has placed in us. Receiving funding from the Gates Foundation is a strong endorsement of SNIPR Biome’s ability to improve global health and make our products available in both developed and developing countries.”
About SNIPR BIOME
SNIPR Biome is a Danish clinical-stage biotech company pioneering the development of precision medicines using CRISPR technology for microbial gene therapy. We are pioneering a novel use of CRISPR-Cas technology to better treat and prevent human diseases through precision killing of bacteria or gene modification. SNIPR Biome was the first company to orally dose humans with a CRISPR therapeutic and the first company to have been granted US and European patents for the use of CRISPR for targeting microbiomes. SNIPR technology is used in collaborations with Novo Nordisk A/S, CARB-X, SPRIN-D, and MD Anderson Cancer Center. For more information, visit www.sniprbiome.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X.
Contact
SNIPR Biome
Dr Christian Grøndahl, Co-founder and CEO
contact@sniprbiome.com
www.sniprbiome.com
