A new study published in Nature Communications demonstrates a consortium of bacteria is designed to complement missing or underrepresented functions in the imbalanced microbiome of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients to prevented and treat the chronic immune-mediated colitis in humanized mouse models.
“The idea with this treatment is to restore the normal function of the protective bacteria in the gut, targeting the source of IBD, instead of treating its symptoms with traditional immunosuppressants that can cause side effects like infections or tumours,” said Sartor, MD, Midget Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, Co-Director of the UNC Multidisciplinary IBD Centre.
‘Novel treatment of inflammatory bowel disease increases the good bacteria and decreases the bad bacteria.’
Live bacteria consortia, called GUT-103 and GUT-108, were developed by biotech firm Gusto Global were given orally three times a week to a humanized mouse model with no bacteria permits the bacteria to stay in the colon for an extended amount of time.
These therapeutic bacteria consortia reverse established inflammation and decrease bacteria that can cause harm while increasing resident protective bacteria to promote mucosal healing and immunoregulatory responses.
The results of this study show the need for more alternative therapies to treat inflammatory bowel disease and more clinical trials in the future.
Source: Medindia
