Naked Biome

Naked Biome was a biotechnology firm that developed microbiome-based therapeutics to treat and prevent skin diseases, with a primary focus on acne. Founded in 2015 by Dr. Emma Taylor, a board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist, the company operated from San Francisco, California. Dr. Taylor co-founded the company while serving as an assistant professor at UCLA, leveraging her expertise in dermatology. The company's operating status is now listed as closed or acquired.

The company's core technology was a drug discovery genomics platform that used next-generation sequencing to analyze the skin's microbiome. This platform identified unique microbial signatures by profiling healthy and diseased skin, allowing the company to isolate beneficial bacteria that could combat harmful bacteria responsible for conditions like acne. The firm's proprietary approach aimed to restore skin to a healthy state by developing topical probiotic therapies derived from human skin. The product pipeline was intended to expand to address other inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea.

Naked Biome successfully completed a Phase IB clinical trial for its lead acne treatment, demonstrating both safety and early efficacy trends. To fund its clinical trials and research, the company raised a total of approximately $11.1 million through several funding rounds, including investments from LEO Pharma, Illumina Accelerator, Act One Ventures, and Equipo Ventures. The company was acquired on September 11, 2020. Following the acquisition, founder Emma Taylor became the Chief Medical Officer at DermBiont.

Keywords: microbiome therapeutics, skin disease, dermatology, acne treatment, bacterial probiotics, genomics platform, next-generation sequencing, topical therapies, microbial signatures, clinical trials, biotechnology, healthtech, skincare, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, venture capital, drug discovery, skin health, probiotic treatment