NESS ZIONA, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BiomX Inc. (NYSE American: PHGE), a clinical stage company developing natural and engineered phage therapies that target specific pathogenic bacteria, today announced that it has entered into a collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim to utilize the BiomX XMarker microbiome-based biomarker discovery platform to potentially identify biomarkers associated with patient phenotypes in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). As part of the collaboration, BiomX will generate metagenomic data of gut microbiome samples obtained from IBD patients with the aim of identifying biomarkers using the XMarker platform.
“Our XMarker analysis platform is a unique, efficient and ultra-high resolution tool for identifying patterns in bacterial DNA relevant for target and biomarker discovery,” commented Jonathan Solomon, Chief Executive Officer of BiomX. “Recent successes in the field of microbiome-targeted clinical development have further demonstrated the importance of the microbiome for human health. The XMarker platform has supported our internally developed phage therapy for IBD, BX002, through the analysis of real-world metagenomic patient data. Beyond IBD, the XMarker platform has applications in major disease areas such as liver disease and cancer where microbiome composition is increasingly recognized as a potential contributing factor.”
The terms of the collaboration also include an option for Boehringer Ingelheim to negotiate an exclusive right to biomarkers discovered utilizing the XMarker platform. Independently of the collaboration, BiomX continues to advance the wholly-owned phage therapy candidate BX002 for the treatment of IBD with a Phase 1a study expected to begin in the third quarter of 2020.
About the XMarker Discovery Platform
The microbiome has shown promise as a predictive tool for the existence and staging of disease in IBD, liver disease, colorectal cancer and cardiovascular disease, among others. In recent studies it has also demonstrated the potential to predict response to specific therapeutics in IBD and immuno-oncology. The XMarker platform uses a unique metagenomics-based approach to discover predictive microbial genomic signatures to be further developed into biomarkers. The platform combines ultra-high-resolution DNA analysis, AI techniques and high-scale cloud computing resources to build classifiers of high sensitivity and specificity.
About BiomX
BiomX is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing both natural and engineered phage cocktails designed to target and destroy bacteria that affect the appearance of skin, as well as harmful bacteria in chronic diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), and colorectal cancer (CRC). BiomX discovers and validates proprietary bacterial targets and customizes phage compositions against these targets.
Safe Harbor Language
This press release contains express or implied “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: “target,” “believe,” “expect,” “will,” “may,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “would,” “positioned,” “future,” and other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. For example, when BiomX discusses its collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim and the potential thereof, the potential of the XMarker to produce meaningful and useful information, the potential of its product candidates, the increasing importance of microbiome composition and BiomX’s leading position, BiomX is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on BiomX management’s current beliefs, expectations and assumptions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of BiomX control. Actual results and outcomes may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, investors should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements and should review the risks and uncertainties described under the caption “Risk Factors” in BiomX’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and additional disclosures BiomX makes in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), which are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and except as provided by law BiomX expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update forward-looking statements.