Microbiotal reverse-engineering

Finch Therapeutics Inc. is developing an oral alternative to fecal microbial transplant that it believes entails less biology risk than more advanced oral candidates, with more targeted delivery than full microbiome transplants delivered via enema.

Lead candidate FIN-403 is slated to enter Phase II testing this year to treat recurrent Clostridium difficile infection. According to co-founder and CEO Mark Smith, the therapy delivers nearly all of the microbial communities present in donor microbiomes that have successfully prevented recurrence of infection in the clinic...