Microbia

Microba Life Sciences Ltd (ASX: MAP) is a publicly-held, commercial-stage company specializing in the analysis of the human gut microbiome to develop new diagnostics and therapeutics. Founded in 2017 by Professors Gene Tyson and Philip Hugenholtz, world leaders in metagenomics, the company is headquartered in Brisbane, Australia. The founders' extensive research over the past two decades, combined with advancements in computing power, enabled the creation of Microba. Both founders remain actively involved in guiding the company's scientific direction.

The company's core business revolves around three proprietary technology platforms: an Analysis Platform for microbiome analysis, a Discovery Platform built on a globally unique databank, and a Therapeutic Platform for identifying microbial therapeutic leads. Microba generates revenue through gut microbiome testing services and supplements provided to consumers, clinicians, and researchers across Australia, Europe, New Zealand, the United States, and Asia. Its primary service, the Insight™ report, uses comprehensive shotgun metagenomics sequencing to provide a high-resolution view of an individual's gut microbiome, offering insights into digestive function, immunity, and metabolism. This data contributes to a growing biobank used to discover relationships between the microbiome and chronic diseases, with a focus on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), autoimmune diseases, and cancer.

Microba is actively engaged in developing a pipeline of therapeutic candidates. It has a partnership with Ginkgo Bioworks for an autoimmune disease program and has delivered significant results in IBD research. The company partners with various organizations to advance the discovery and development of new health solutions derived from the microbiome. In December 2023, Microba acquired Invivo Healthcare, a UK-based company, to expand its reach. By leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning, Microba analyzes large datasets to identify patterns indicative of health conditions, aiming to create new diagnostic tools and therapies.

Keywords: microbiome analysis, gut health, metagenomics, diagnostics, therapeutics, life sciences, biotechnology, inflammatory bowel disease, IBD, autoimmune disease, microbiome testing, drug discovery, microbial genomics, bioinformatics, precision medicine, supplements, clinical research, data-driven healthcare, microbial therapeutics, gut bacteria