Gut Instinct: ASX health stocks tap into rising awareness of microbiome
The microbiome is a key area of biomedical research, with links to conditions from cancer and obesity to mental health
Microba has become a leader in microbiome testing, first focused on diagnosing unresolved lower gastrointestinal disorders
Genomic research and product development company EZZ targeting Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that grows in the digestive tract
Dubbed 'the forgotten organ', the gut microbiome is now firmly in the spotlight, as science catches up to its essential role in human health. And it's become a key focus for biomedical research companies.
Microba Life Sciences (ASX:MAP) CEO Dr Luke Reid told Stockhead the gut microbiome consists of trillions of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms living in our digestive tract.
Reid said chronic diseases – including conditions such as gastrointestinal, mental health, cardiovascular, cancer, autoimmune and allergies – collectively represent more than 90% of the ~US$4.5 trillion annual healthcare spend in the United States.
"The gut microbiome is implicated in essentially all these conditions," he said.
"There are more than 21,000 research publications demonstrating a clear link between chronic diseases and the gut microbiome.
"More than 150 global clinical studies demonstrate that microbiome modulation can improve disease outcomes and clinical symptoms."
Reid said the future of the rapidly growing gut microbiome sector was taking shape in two key areas – diagnostic and therapeutics.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two microbiome-based treatments, with both designed to treat Clostridioides difficile infections, which causes inflammation of the colon, known as colitis.
Reid said that Microba's core vision was that testing and monitoring of the gut microbiome could become a routine part of medical care with your doctor, Reid said.
Following on from that, the company wants to see microbiome-based therapeutics approved and routinely used for treatment of multiple chronic diseases.
"If taken together – and microbiome diagnostics and therapeutics indeed play a meaningful role in supporting patients – it could be a US$1.4 trillion healthcare disruption opportunity," Reid said.
"Breaking that down, we believe the diagnostics side is worth more than US$100 billion and the therapeutic side around US$1.3 trillion."
Leader in gut microbiome testing
Microba was co-founded by internationally renowned researchers Professor Philip Hugenholtz and Professor Gene Tyson in 2017.
It was based on their world-leading proprietary technology out of the University of Queensland to analyse the gut microbiome.
Hugenholtz now chairs the company's scientific advisory board, while Tyson serves as a non-executive director.
Former Australian of the Year Professor Ian Frazer, co-inventor of the cancer-preventing HPV vaccines Gardasil and Cervarix, serves as deputy chairman of Microba's board and chairs its medical advisory board.
The company has grown to become a global leader in microbiome testing and is first focused on diagnosing unresolved lower gastrointestinal disorders.
"This first target patient group represents a US$25bn opportunity, out of the more than $100bn opportunity for this new diagnostic category of clinical microbiome testing," Reid said.
Partnership deal with Sonic healthcare
Microba inked a partnership deal in 2022 with medical diagnostics giant Sonic Healthcare (ASX:SHL), which acquired around ~20% in the company with a $17.8 million investment.
Under the deal, Sonic is supporting the roll out of Microba's MetaPanel microbiome tests into its major markets. That will start in Australia, with a clear view to expand to the UK, US, Germany, Switzerland, New Zealand and Belgium.
Sonic made a further investment in 2023 to support Microba to accelerate entry into the UK.
Reid said the company estimates there are 82 million patients with lower gastrointestinal symptoms seeing a doctor annually across its core focus markets of the US, UK, Australia, Germany, France, Spain and Italy.
"The data suggests that half of these patients are not getting a resolution,' he said.
"One of the first questions a clinician will ask is whether there is a potential pathogen infecting the patient?
"The current tool available tests for around 20, and with our technology we can test for every clinically relevant gastrointestinal pathogen.
"If we identify a bad pathogen, we can give guidance to the clinician on what type of antibiotic to use."
Early results
Preliminary results from analysis of MetaPanel tests show it can detect a pathogen in 24% of patients, providing a critical new treatment path for a significant portion of these patients.
Reid said if no pathogen was identified, doctors would want to rule out colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease through a colonoscopy.
"If nothing is found those group of patients end up what is classed as a functional intestinal disease or irritable bowel diagnosis (IBS) diagnosis, and either receive no further support, or receive non-specific dietary advice and sometimes mental health support," he said.
Reid said their second test MetaXplore was specifically designed for those patients, assessing the integrity of the gastrointestinal tract, together with the the structure and function of the microbiome.
Preliminary results from analysis of more than 4600 MetaXplore test results, demonstrate it can support clinicians to identify and address underlying gut issues that often go undetected by conventional testing.
In more than 70% of cases, the test revealed findings, such as abnormalities in gut bacteria, signs of infection, markers of inflammation or insufficiency that could inform targeted treatment strategies.
Further, two-thirds of MetaXplore patients in a separate study of follow up survey results reported improvement of symptoms after their care was guided by the test results.
"That is significant outcome for a group of patients who have previously been unable to find answers to their symptoms,' Reid said.
"We have seen patients that have been suffering for 10, 20, even 30 years, now completely resolved."
EZZ targeting gut bacteria Helicobacter pylori
Also targeting the gut microbiome is genomic research and product development company EZZ Life Science (ASX:EZZ).
EZZ is targeting four key health areas including longevity, human papillomavirus (HPV) weight management and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori).
A bacterium that grows in the digestive tract, H. pylori can cause stomach ulcers, increase the risk of stomach cancer and lead to a rare type of stomach lymphoma.
Due to its link to stomach cancer, H. pylori was designated a human carcinogen by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer in 1994.
More recently, in 2021, the US National Toxicology Program included chronic H. pylori infection in its 15th Report on Carcinogens, listing it among agents known or reasonably anticipated to cause cancer in humans.
"We identified gut health as a key platform for health and wellbeing," chairman Glenn Cross told Stockhead.
"If you look at the data, plant-based and fermented foods are very important from a dietary perspective, along with exercise, sleep and drinking lots of water.
"But a lot of health professionals say probiotics and prebiotics are also important and that is where we came from with our first product the Helicobacter pylori probiotic."
Cross said the company was also planning on launching two gut health products under its EZZDay label in the US, when it launches into the world's largest healthcare market later this year.
"They will be a combination of probiotics, enzymes and adaptogens," he said.
The former AusBiotech CEO said the gut microbiome was becoming an increasing area of interest for healthcare companies.
"Over the last decade and certainly at my time at AusBiotech we saw a lot more companies becoming involved in products for the gut microbiome," Cross said.
Biome Australia capitalising on 'explosion of interest in the microbiome'
Biome Australia (ASX:BIO) is also targeting the microbiome for its flagship complementary medicine line Activated Probiotics.
Director of Education Rebecca Edwards told Stockhead its clinically validated product lines feature both complete formulations and specific probiotic strains, with each supported by human clinical trials demonstrating targeted health benefits.
"In the world of probiotics specificity is everything," she said.
"Each strain of probiotic bacteria has its own genetic profile and performs its own specific mechanisms."
She said two strains of bacteria may seem similar looking at their names but may be used in different health conditions.
For example, the company uses Lactobacillus salivarius LS01 in its Biome Eczema product, while Biome Acne contains Lactobacillus salivarius LS03.
"This is where research is so important, with several of our products being condition-specific, targeting a defined health concern," she said.
"The specific formulation of these products has been clinically trialled in human studies, meaning we can have a good understanding of how this precise combination of strains can make a difference in a particular health condition."
Edwards said part of Biome's mission was to help prevent disease.
"It's exciting to be having discussions with health care practitioners about how they can use probiotics as part of their approach to keep their patients well," she said.
"There's an explosion of interest in the microbiome.
"While our own microbial communities may be invisible to the naked eye, their impact is being increasingly understood, and respected."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
3 hours ago
- ABC News
Australian cyclist Michael Matthews to miss Tour de France due to pulmonary embolism
Australian cyclist Michael Matthews will not contest the Tour de France because of a pulmonary embolism. Matthews was attending a Jayco AlUla altitude training camp when team doctors discovered signs of the health condition. The Canberran immediately stopped all physical activity until further notice and is off the team's roster for the Tour de France, which begins next month. Jayco AlUla released a statement saying Matthews's health was stable. "The medical team are now thoroughly investigating the extent of the issue and possible cause, to define a safe and optimal recovery process for the athlete," the statement read. "During this period of investigation, as a safeguarding measure, Matthews will refrain from competition to ensure there is no risk to his health and well-being, therefore ruling out his participation in the upcoming Tour de France." A pulmonary embolism is a blood clot that goes to the lungs and blocks an artery, restricting blood flow. If untreated, it can be life-threatening. Matthews would have been a key rider for Jayco AlUla at the Tour. He has won four stages at the race and claimed victory in the points classification in 2017. The 34-year-old had his first win of the year early last month at the Eschborn-Frankfurt one-day race in Germany. Matthews made his Olympic debut last year at the Paris Games, competing in the road race. AAP
News.com.au
7 hours ago
- News.com.au
Winter is flaring up eczema for about a third of Aussies who suffer from the irritating skin condition
An irritating skin condition is flaring up for a third of Australians trying to keep warm this winter, made worse by heaters, woollen jumpers and long, hot showers. Eczema is a dry, itchy and inflammatory skin disease that usually begins in childhood and affects one in five children and one in 10 adults that suffer redness, scales, bumps, skin cracks, oozing fluid and crusts. Children are more likely to experience eczema because their immune system has not matured. People with a family history or from East or South Asian countries or others who suffer from hay fever or food allergies are also affected. The condition can be deadly when it is left uncontrolled and extremely inflamed, although rare. People can get serious infections from the disease, or the body can divert all of its blood away from vital organs to the skin. Dermatologist Deshan Sebaratnam told NewWire that a lot of people would notice eczema flare-ups due to the cold change in weather. 'When it is cold, there's often less humidity in the air, so your skin loses water to the air easily,' he said. 'There's also less sunlight, and sunlight dampens down the activity of the immune system in the skin and because it's cold, people aren't using their creams and moisturisers as much as they should. 'Wearing long clothes and things like wool can also be irritating on the skin, so now's a common time for eczema to flare up for a lot of Australians.' Dry air, heaters and long. hot showers that strip the body of natural oils can flare up eczema. The best way to avoid the condition is to use thick and greasy moisturisers that contain glycerine and ceramides to trap water in the skin and avoid products with fragrances, perfumes or food. 'You shouldn't be spending lots of money on your moisturisers,' Dr Sebaratnam said. 'Products from the QV ceramide range are really good or QV intensive as well. 'Funnily enough, people can use a cream their whole life, or a moisturiser or make-up, then suddenly develop allergies to a product. 'No one really knows why, but one day your immune system just decides it doesn't like it, then every time you put it on you get eczema. 'That's called contact dermatitis, and that can also make eczema worse.' Dr Sebaratnam said people with concerns about their skin should see a GP or dermatologist, a medical specialist in skin disease and health. 'No one understands your skin like a dermatologist, and they can help you know with eczema,' he said. 'It is a really itchy and uncomfortable condition that affects your sleep and has a cosmetic impact in terms of people's confidence if it is on their face. 'It can affect children's schooling, and even adults. If you're constantly scratching you can't focus at work, it affects every facet of your life.' Dr Sebaratnam said there were lots of myths about eczema. He said food rarely caused problems with the condition and steroids were a safe treatment option when supervised by a doctor.
ABC News
12 hours ago
- ABC News
How to boost bone health and reduce risk of osteoporosis and fractures
Imagine not being able to cough, sneeze or be hugged for fear of your bones breaking. This is the reality faced by people with severely weak bones. Fragile bones can creep up on you and are often not recognised until they break. A small trip and fall can be catastrophic, with a broken hip leading to a rapid deterioration in health. Today, millions of Australians live with poor bone health, and the "silent disease" of osteoporosis is expected to lead to one fracture every 30 seconds by 2033. And this is not just because we have an ageing population. We talked to experts about bone health and how to keep them strong for as long as possible. It's a common misconception that fragile bones are an older woman's problem. According to the Royal Australian College of GPs, one in two or three women will suffer an osteoporosis-related fracture over their lifetime. But one in every three or four men suffer the same, and younger people can also develop weak bones. We can think of our body's skeleton as a bank transaction account, where old bone is "withdrawn" or removed and replaced by "deposits" of new bone. Ideally we'd keep that bone bank balance high by stimulating new bone growth or preventing its loss with the right combination of diet and exercise — and, where needed, medications. When we are young and our skeleton's growing — especially during puberty — it's relatively easy to increase your "bone bank" balance. But as an adult, you eventually start losing bone faster than it's replaced, and eventually this can increase fracture risk. Some experts such as exercise scientist David Scott from Deakin University are concerned the sedentary lifestyle of many children could leave them with a low bone bank balance as they enter adulthood, and may create problems later in life. "We're just worried that children are not accumulating bone," Dr Scott says. Bone and muscle strength in women peaks at 30 before declining, especially around menopause when there is a massive drop of oestrogen, which is a hormone important for bone health. So if you hit menopause without a good balance in your bone bank, you have fewer reserves to draw on at a time you need it. Other risk factors include: While going for a daily stroll can be good for your general health, a different kind of exercise is required when it comes to bone health. Bone cells are only triggered to grow or repair when they experience a certain amount of stress and strain, which is why gentle walking, cycling or swimming does little to increase bone strength. "The prevailing wisdom is if you want to make your bones stronger, you have to work hard," Chris Maher, an expert in musculoskeletal health at the University of Sydney, says. Strong bones need weight-bearing impact — think of forceful jumping, running or hopping. One study that got men to hop on one leg found that leg had stronger bones than the other after 12 months. Muscle strengthening exercises — such as weights or resistance bands, push ups, sit ups or squats — are essential for strong bones too. Because our bones adapt to exercise, experts advise doing impact and resistance exercises in a way that pushes yourself. Some emphasise "exercise snacking" — brief bouts of high-intensity exercise — that can be done in ad breaks, while taking a break from computer work, or waiting for the kettle to boil or the bus to come. Even taking the stairs instead of the lift, carrying shopping instead of using a trolley, or squatting instead of bending when you get something from a bottom drawer can help. But high-intensity exercising may require supervision, especially if you are older, so talk to a qualified health practitioner before embarking on a routine. Professor Maher says while there are fears about exercise causing damage to older people, this should not stop them from doing appropriate exercise. Ask your GP to see if you qualify for a scan of your bone mineral density, which is the most common measure of bone strength, and subsidised visits to see a professional such as an exercise physiologist, who can tailor an exercise prescription that is suited to your individual needs. Check Healthy Bones Australia or the Royal Australian College of GPs for more tips on exercises to improve or maintain bone health. While exercise is accepted as an essential part of maintaining bone health, there is a debate over how much it can reverse bone loss, especially in post-menopausal women, although even if it slows down the rate of loss this is a benefit. Exercise can also improve strength and balance, which can also help prevent falls. Osteoporosis is a condition of very low bone mineral density. But if you have osteoporosis, that doesn't automatically mean you'll get a fracture. Only a third of "fragility fractures" — those that result from a small impact such as falling over — are in people with osteoporosis, Monash University endocrinologist Susan Davis says. Most fractures occur in people with osteopenia, whose bone density is low, but not low enough to qualify for an osteoporosis diagnosis. Even people with normal bone density can get fragility fractures. This is because there is more to stopping fractures than bone mineral density. The size, shape and structure of bones, referred to as bone "micro-architecture", can also affect how strong they are. While the jury is still out on how much exercise can boost bone architecture, one thing is for certain: most fractures due to fragile bones are caused by falls. Activities that increase your strength, stability, mobility and balance will keep you on your feet and less prone to falls. Experts say there is good evidence tai chi helps balance, and perhaps dancing or gardening do too. Researchers are currently looking into whether yoga can also help. Strong bones need the right balance of nutrients including vitamin D and calcium. Vitamin D helps us absorb calcium, which is needed to build bone. While some foods such as fatty fish and milk can provide vitamin D, the main source of this nutrient is exposure to sunlight. One in four Australians are deficient in the vitamin because they don't get enough sunlight exposure. This might be because a lack of sun in winter at low latitudes in the southern states, because they have darker skin or because they habitually cover themselves. Supplements can help boost vitamin D levels, but the idea that the more vitamin D you take the better is a myth. While not having enough vitamin D can lead to weak bones, having too much can be a problem too. "We see people who are profoundly deficient and people on high doses who are on too much," Professor Davis says. Some people take many times the recommended amount, risking the development of kidney stones. While we're on diet, Australians in general don't tend to get enough dietary calcium either. And some older people don't tend to eat enough protein, which — along with exercise — is important to stop muscles wasting, which is also linked to bone loss. According to the RACGP guidelines for maintaining bone health and preventing fractures: Dairy foods are rich sources of both calcium and protein. Australian dietary guidelines recommend three serves of dairy a day for most people, and four serves a day for women over 51. Other sources of calcium include: firm tofu, almonds, sesame seeds, tinned fish, some green leafy vegetables, dried figs, and calcium-fortified non-diary milks. Thanks also to Gabrielle Stokes, Monash University; Belinda Beck, Griffith University; Maria Fiatarone Singh, University of Sydney and Robin Daly, Deakin University for assistance in producing this article.
