BRANFORD, Conn. & NESS ZIONA, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BiomX Inc. (NYSE American: PHGE) (“BiomX” or “Company”) announces a new collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim to identify biomarkers for inflammatory bowel disease (“IBD”). BiomX is a clinical-stage microbiome company advancing novel natural and engineered phage therapies that target specific pathogenic bacteria.
Under the collaboration BiomX will utilize its XMarker microbiome-based biomarker discovery platform with the goal of identifying biomarkers for a pathogenic bacterium thought to be associated with IBD. Such biomarkers could help identify IBD patients that would benefit from potential therapies targeted at the microbiome. In September 2020, Boehringer Ingelheim and BiomX entered into their first collaboration, which focused on identifying biomarkers associated with patient phenotypes in IBD.
“Boehringer Ingelheim is developing a first-in-class pipeline to address remaining unmet needs in IBD, including complications, utilizing clinical and biomarker measures to identify these patient segments,” said Carine Boustany, Ph.D., SVP, Site Head Discovery Research US & Head of Global Immunology & Respiratory Diseases Research, Boehringer Ingelheim. “This collaboration will help us advance our understanding of a segment of patients with IBD that may specifically benefit from blunting the recognition of the pathogenic microbiome.”
“We are pleased to enter into this second agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim,” said Jonathan Solomon, Chief Executive Officer of BiomX. “Inflammatory bowel disease is a heterogenous inflammatory condition that remains extremely difficult to treat. By leveraging our unique, ultra-high resolution XMarker biomarker discovery platform, we hope to identify those biomarkers that can pinpoint the presence of pathogenic bacteria associated with IBD. Through this collaboration, we may be able to develop effective biomarkers that can be used to segment patient groups within IBD which could help determine the most appropriate course of therapy.”
The terms of the collaboration entitle BiomX to research payments and also include an option for Boehringer Ingelheim to negotiate an exclusive right to biomarkers discovered under the collaboration. BiomX retains the right to utilize the biomarkers as companion diagnostics for phage therapy.
About the XMarker Discovery Platform
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 large-scale cloud computing infrastructure to build classifiers of high sensitivity and specificity.
About BiomX
BiomX is a clinical-stage microbiome company developing both natural and engineered phage cocktails designed to target and destroy bacteria in the treatment of chronic diseases. BiomX discovers and validates proprietary bacterial targets and customizes phage compositions against these targets.
Additional information is available at www.biomx.com, the content of which does not form a part of this press release.
Safe Harbor
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 the potential benefits from the collaboration, as well as potential payments to BiomX thereunder, 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 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 30, 2022 and additional disclosures BiomX makes in its other filings with 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.
