A company called Evelo Therapeutics, launched Wednesday,
with a plan to create a variety of cancer treatments based on bacteria
found in the microbiome. The microbiome is an environment consisting of
trillions of micro-organisms living in the body that contributes to
overall health.
Evelo, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, received $35 million in
funding from the venture capital firm Flagship Ventures to study
oncobiotic therapeutics. The startup will explore what role these
microbial agents play in the formation of cancer.
One avenue would be to test how specific kinds of bacteria inhibit
tumor metabolism by competing for nutrients. Another approach would use
bacterial infusions to transform a tumor’s immediate surroundings into a
less hospitable environment for growth.
A third tactic being considered by Evelo would gauge how bacteria triggers the immune system to attack tumor cells.
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