MaaT Pharma, a reference for the microbiome industry, is announcing a significant €10 million fundraising operation within the context of its series A. This will notably allow the company to finance the launch of its clinical studies, to begin this summer, with the objective of developing an innovative medicine for correcting dysbiosis following the treatment of diseases such as leukaemia or bone and joint infections. These developments will also allow research to progress in the field of the human microbiome, an area in which France is at the cutting edge and which opens up new prospects regarding the prevention and treatment of several chronic and infectious diseases.
The transaction brings together scientific, industrial and financial players: Seventure Partners and the Inra, MaaT Pharma's historic partners, joined today by Crédit Mutuel Innovation (formerly CM-CIC Innovation), leader for this second round and the pharmaceutical company Biocodex, which specialises in the therapeutic domains of gastroenterology, neuropsychiatry and pain treatment. This significant investment bears witness to the scientific, therapeutic and economic potential of research on the microbiome.
"This fundraising transaction confirms the relevance of our autologous approach, which distinguishes MaaT Pharma from its competitors. It also rewards the quality and rigour of the work carried out. I would like to thank the team for its commitment, as well as our investors for their faith in us. We are very proud that we will be able to strengthen our relations in this way with our historic partners and initiate a collaboration with new investors," commented Hervé Affagard, CEO of MaaT Pharma.
Laureate of the Worldwide Innovation Challenge (phase 2) and being part of the 10 finalists of the international start-ups acceleration program Big Booster, MaaT Pharma is developing the first safe and standardised autologous microbiotherapy solution, in conformity with the good clinical pharmaceutical practice. This solution will allow to treat dysbiosis in hospitalised patients in a specific and individualised manner. The imbalances of the microbiome following certain extensive treatments have the notable consequence of the emergence of opportunistic infections, such as Clostridium difficile or Multi-Drug Resistant Bacteria. These are the most frequent causes of diarrhea following a hospital stay. In the medium term, the autologous microbiotherapy platform developed by MaaT Pharma will permit the extension of its range of products for others therapeutic area, for example blood cancers.
This €10 million fundraising operation is in line with MaaT Pharma's initial development plan and will be accompanied by new hirings in forthcoming months.
"We found Maat Pharma's way of thinking particularly seducing, as it combines an autologous approach with an industrial, quantifiable and reproducible process, therefore in line with the medical world's hopes and the patients' needs. The Inra's partnership was also a key element for us, as it is very smooth and efficient. We are thrilled to be able to work along such a talented team and to help promote a new therapeutic approach," added Karine Lignel, Deputy CEO of Crédit Mutuel Innovation.
"This Series A financing round confirms Seventure's initial decision to support MaaT Pharma from its inception. As the European leader in microbiome-related investment, and thanks to the Health for Life fund, first fund focused on the microbiome, Seventure has the means to support MaaT Pharma, as well as numerous other innovators in this field, towards creation of treatments for patients in need. If MaaT Pharma's initial studies are successful, this will open possibilities for many more products, in indications ranging from inflammation to cancer," said Isabelle de Crémoux, CEO of Seventure Partners.
"Drawing on its expertise in the field of intestinal microbiota, Biocodex is delighted to support the development of MaaT Pharma in its innovative and original project to correct dysbiosis. This cooperation aims to provide new therapeutic solutions via the autologous transplantation of intestinal microbiota in the event of illnesses or treatments which have seriously altered it," indicated Jean-Marie Lefèvre, CEO of Biocodex.
"We are delighted with our partnership with MaaT Pharma and with this fundraising which confirms the legitimacy of the autologous approach. Our goal is to accelerate the development of the inventions of Inra laboratories with our industrial partners. MaaT Pharma will be able to implement at the patient's level the scientific approaches developed within the Micalis and MataGenoPolis units in a scientific field at the heart of the strategic priorities of innovation of Inra," comments Rejane Le Tinévez, Executive director of Inra Transfert.
MaaT Pharma's ambition: to embody a new medical paradigm
Since its creation at the end of 2014, MaaT Pharma has undergone exponential development. After a first fundraising round of €2 million, carried out in December 2014, MaaT Pharma has already validated the safety and the dose of its drug candidate, during pre-clinical trials carried out in 2015 in partnership with the Inra. The start-up has also just completed the prototyping of a unique solution, allowing the collection of the sampled microbiome and guaranteeing the safety of all of the players (patient, operator, medical staff) until the administration phase.
MaaT Pharma has set itself the objective of being a player in the emergence of a new medical paradigm around the role played by the intestinal microbiome in health and well-being. Its priority action lines relate to the correction of dysbiosis and associated complications, the eradication of Multi-Drug Resistant Bacteria, the prevention of nosocomial diseases, the re-establishment of key functions of the intestinal microbiome and the stimulation of the immune system and restoration of metabolic functions.