Bloom Science, a biopharmaceutical company developing microbiome-derived therapeutics in multiple neurological conditions and oncology, announced the launch of a research agreement with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The collaboration will focus on advancing the understanding of the microbiome in a Phase 1 study investigating the clinical utility of the ketogenic diet as an adjunctive treatment in combination with standard of care in glioblastoma.
Preclinical and early clinical research has focused on elucidating the impact of the ketogenic diet in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme, one of the deadliest primary brain tumors. Bloom Science will leverage its discovery platform to investigate the underlying contributions of the microbiota and related metabolites.
“For a disease like glioblastoma, where decades of clinical trials have resulted in only marginal improvement, we need to think differently about how to approach treatment. Although we still have a great deal to learn, it is clear that diet, metabolism, and the gut microbiome have a profound effect on health, disease, and treatment response,” said principal investigator Jethro Hu MD, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute. “To reach the next level of scientific understanding, we need to bring leading edge research capabilities to the table, and that is precisely what this collaboration provides.”
“The gut microbiome is a very promising frontier in both neurological and oncology drug development,” said Christopher Reyes, PhD, CEO of Bloom Science. “This research agreement is key to expanding our discovery efforts into oncology, cancer related cognitive decline, and our commitment to working with leaders in the field, such as Dr. Hu to further advance the science.”