Principal Investigator:
Randy Longman, Associate Professor of Medicine
Background & Unmet Need
- Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has emerged as a promising new treatment for patients with disrupted microbiota, such as those with ulcerative colitis (UC)
- However, large-scale clinical trials have demonstrated that FMT is only effective in a subset of patients, limiting the utility of treatment
- FMT relies on healthy donor samples that have poorly defined microbiota compositions, and thus the microbial mechanisms for engraftment and clinical response are poorly understood
- Unmet Need: Identification of specific microbial strains associated with therapeutic benefit in FMT for the treatment of UC and related disorders
Technology Overview
- The Technology: Method for treating UC by administration of immune-reactive microbiota (TIM)
- The inventors analyzed fecal samples from UC patients before and 4 weeks post-FMT
- Single cell sorting was used to culture individual IgA-coated bacteria that were then identified by 16S rDNA gene sequencing
- Analysis of the sequencing data revealed a core TIM that correlated with clinical response
- PoC Data: Colonization of germ-free mice with the core TIM strains Odoribacter splanchnicus and Alistipes finegoldi reduced the severity of T cell colitis through an IL-10-dependent mechanism
- The identified microbial compositions may lead to improved treatment of UC and other disorders associated with imbalanced gut microbiota
Technology Applications
- Efficient and efficacious method of microbial transfer to treat UC and related disorders
- Screening tool for therapeutically active microbial communities
Technology Advantages
- Defined microbial composition improves control and reproducibility compared to FMT therapy
- IgA-reactive strains protect against colitis via a defined IL-10-dependent mechanism
Publications
Resources
Intellectual Property
Patents
- US Application US20230087012A1: "Transferable microbiota for the treatment of ulcerative colitis"
Cornell Reference
- 9296
Contact Information
For additional information please contact
Brian Kelly
Director, Business Development and Licensing
Phone: (646) 962-7041
Email: bjk44@cornell.edu