Anizome

THE MICROBIOME PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN ANIMAL HEALTH

The microbiome is the collection of billions of microorganisms that live in and on the bodies of both humans and animals. These unique communities play a vital role in maintaining health and protecting their host against disease.

Biomedical research in the human microbiome has already led to a pipeline of therapeutic candidates for the treatment of important diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, and cancer — all of which pose a similar threat in our growing, aging pet population.

Discovering the importance of a diverse gut microbiome in maintaining good health is forcing us to rethink the way we treat disease in livestock, incorporating the microbiome as a promising way of optimizing performance without antibiotic intervention.

UNLOCKING THE THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL

OF THE MICROBIOME IN ANIMALS

ANIZOME is dedicated to improving animal health by translating cutting-edge research and discovery into innovative therapeutic solutions, capable of optimizing performance and preventing disease.

ABOUT ANIZOME

ANIZOME LLC was founded in 2018 as a result of a ground-breaking venture between Baylor College of Medicine, Stonehaven Incubate AG and Diversigen Inc. This unique combination of microbiome expertise, industry knowledge and commercial experience has enabled ANIZOME to establish a world-class animal microbiome platform that bridges the gap between research and commercial solutions.

Located in the Texas Medical Centre, the world’s largest health science complex, ANIZOME’s experienced team of experts are building on more than a decade of breakthrough discovery in the microbiome to develop next generation solutions for both farm and companion animals.

FOUNDERS

The power of the microbiome is derived from the unique combination of microorganisms working in harmony to transform host health. Similarly, ANIZOME’s founders have formed an alliance to advance a shared cause, creating a unique ecosystem of expertise capable of revolutionizing the way we treat animal disease.

Baylor College of Medicine

Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) is a premier health sciences university in the United States. A partner in the Human Microbiome Project, BCM is home to pioneering microbiome science in the Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research, the Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology and Texas Children’s® Microbiome Center.

Stonehaven Incubate

Stonehaven Incubate AG is a member of the Stonehaven group of companies. Stonehaven Incubate’s mission is to identify disruptive technologies in human health and work collaboratively with the technology originator to build a strategy for a new stand-alone animal health company, identify an experienced management team and source the capital required.

Baylor College of Medicine

Stonehaven Incubate

Meet the team

TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM

ANIZOME’s unique microbiome platform is underpinned by innovative technology and expert insight to generate creative breakthroughs in the animal microbiome. The platform consolidates state-of-the-art technologies inside a single, structured research and development process focused on generating commercial solutions.

END-TO-END CAPABILITIES

The microbiome is a complex community of bacteria, fungi, archaea and viruses. Unravelling the functionality and harnessing the power of the microbiome requires a multidisciplinary, end-to-end scientific approach. Our platform incorporates innovative technology that enables us to fully characterize the microbiome, cultivate targets of interest and test them in high-throughput biological models.

DNA SEQUENCING

ANIZOME utilizes state-of-the-art DNA sequencing technology to achieve fast, accurate, and complete microbiome analysis utilizing samples obtained from oral, skin, and intestinal microbiomes. Our technology ranges from identification of important microbiome population taxonomy trends using 16s sequencing; to understanding functions, relationships, and importance of individual bacteria within the entire microbiome using next-generation WGS techniques under CLIA/CAP accredited lab conditions.

DATA SCIENCE

ANIZOME uses world-class bioinformatics and bioanalytic capabilities to fully characterize microbiome populations, trends, and individual functions to discover novel mechanisms, generate leads, and assess the impact of interventions. ANIZOME is focused on good data science and expert statistical analysis to guarantee accurate results.

MOLECULAR ANALYSIS

ANIZOME can rapidly and efficiently produce a wide variety of microbiome and bacterial probing tools for rapid identification of key bacterial, fungal, or viral species present in the microbiome as well as associated activity mechanisms. This supports discovery and the development of accurate diagnostic tools.

BACTERIAL CULTIVATION

ANIZOME can cultivate complex microbial communities and individual bacteria, including aerobic and anaerobic strains in high-throughput and high replication. This enables us to develop a bank of strains which are important for maintaining proper function or inhibiting disease.

MICROBIOME ENGINEERING

From selection and refinement of therapeutic probiotics to engineering of bacteriophage, ANIZOME can explore various mechanisms for manipulating the microbiome. For example, we can deploy highly specialized and effective technology for the identification, selection, and evolution of bacteriophages against targeted bacterial species in the microbiome. Using this technology results in the rapid discovery and development of microbiome editing tools.

BIOLOGICAL MODELING

ANIZOME uses various biological models to identify the microbial influence on host health, rapidly test hypothesis and generate proof of concept.

‍MiniBioReactor Arrays (MBRAs): Cultivating mock intestinal communities for target animals to recapitulate functions they create in the host.

‍‍C. elegans: Utilizing nematodes as a simple model organism to identify the genetics of microbial manipulation of host health and metabolites involved.

‍Germ-free rodents: The optimal standard for testing microbiome-host interactions and pre-clinical performance of microbiome-based products.

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PIPELINE

Our pipeline is focused on delivering a novel class of therapeutic, derived from health-giving microbes and bacteriophages to manipulate the microbiome and improve host health. Our broad portfolio of research and development programs cover some of the most serious health challenges facing both farm and companion animals.

SCREENING
Correlate the microbiome with disease / hunt for known mechanisms.
DISCOVERY
Pinpoint causality and identify mechanisms for preventing disease.
LEAD OPTIMISATION
Select and engineer appropriate microbiome modulators.
PRE-CLINICAL
Demonstrate proof of concept in biological models.
CLINICAL
Generate safety and efficacy data in target animal to support registration.

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SERVICE

In partnership with our sister company, Diversigen Inc., we offer specialist metagenomic sequencing services tailored to animal microbiome samples and analysis.

For more information about our metagenomic sequencing services, please contact us at info@anizome.com

Board of directors

Dr. Bénédicte Flambard

Chairperson

Dr. Flambard specialises in heading the innovation and development of commercial strategies within the animal and human healthcare sectors. She is currently Global Head of Plant Health Business at chemical manufacturing company FMC Corporation.

Dr. Flambard has previously served as a Global Head of Live BioTherapeutics & Nutraceuticals at Boehringer Ingelheim, where she led the creation of a new business unit, combining novel microbial based bio-therapeutic and diagnostic approaches. She has also worked for Merial and Chr. Hansen, the world leader in microbial solutions. Dr. Flambard holds several vice president positions in the health and agriculture industries, as well as trustee positions and advisory roles for organisations in the consumer goods, pharmaceuticals and technology sectors. While growing core businesses, she has experience of seeding and developing growth opportunities into start-up businesses, focusing exclusively on the microbiome.

Dr. Flambard has a Master of Administration from the University of Bath in the UK, a PhD in Molecular Genetics and Microbial Physiology from the National Institute of Agronomic in France, and a Master in Corporate Entrepreneurial Leadership from the Centre for Technology Economics & Management in Denmark.

DR. CAROLINE POPPER

Chief Executive Officer

Caroline Popper MD MPH is an internist and pathologist and is the former CEO of Diversigen, a microbiome-focused pharma-services company, recently acquired by Orasure Technologies.

Dr. Popper has more than 25 years of hands-on life science operating experience. She combines her medical and scientific perspective with knowledge gained from managing a wide spectrum of life sciences businesses in both Fortune 500 and start-up settings in the US and globally. She maintains a large venture and private equity network, sits on several company boards, and speaks internationally on healthcare innovation and value analysis.

Dr. Popper received her medical degree from the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa) and her M.P.H. from Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore). She completed her residencies in internal medicine and in pathology at Johns Hopkins.

SHAWN DAVIS

VP & Chief Ventures Officer

Leading the revitalization of commercialization at Baylor College of Medicine under the newly formed BCM Ventures.

Shawn R. Davis, VP of Research, is responsible for advancing BCM’s strategic vision for research and commercialization. She oversees the operational and business aspects of the Research Mission, including all commercialization activities. She provides proactive leadership and direction for all aspects of the Research Mission operations and administration, including annual planning, capital and operating budget management, research space management, research technology strategy, philanthropy, and affiliate relationships. She oversees BCM’s strategic relationships with external commercial partners, ensuring an integrated approach to commercialization aligned to institutional vision.

MATTHIAS HOFER

Partner at Stonehaven Consulting AG with executive leadership experience in the Animal Health industry.

Mr. Matthias Hofer is a Partner at Stonehaven Consulting AG. He has over 13 years of experience in Animal Health. He served on the executive committees of two major Animal Health companies for a total of 7 years. Between 2009 and 2013 he led the global Aqua Health business at Novartis Animal Health (NAH). Later, he was Global Leader Emerging Business at Elanco and a member of Elanco’s global executive committee. During 2014 and with Elanco’s intention to buy NAH, Matthias served as overall pre-merger integration leader on the Novartis side. In that role, Matthias led a large team and efforts to prepare integration pre-closing overall including carve-out preparations of operations linked to Novartis. Matthias is a business leader with broad international experience and strength in sales, strategy, and execution.

DR. JOSEPH PETROSINO

Chief Scientific Officer

A primary investigator for the Human Microbiome Project and author of numerous published studies on microbiome science.

Dr. Petrosino has been actively driving a better understanding of human and animal microbiomes since the introduction of Next Generation Sequencing technologies for the purpose of microbiome studies. He has been involved in key research projects and made a number of ground-breaking advances in our understanding of microbiomes.

Dr. Petrosino was awarded a degree in microbiology and immunology with a distinction in research from the University of Rochester, before completing a PhD in the same subjects at Baylor College of Medicine. He continued at Baylor where he completed a postdoctoral fellowship in genetics, and then worked as a research associate in the Human Genome Sequencing Centre.

As a principal investigator for the Human Microbiome Project, he helped develop standardised clinical sample preparation protocols for sequencing and analysis. This allowed microbial communities from diverse body sites to be compared with minimal technical bias and has led to study design standards that are being implemented internationally.

Dr. Petrosino is currently Professor and interim Chairman of Molecular Virology and Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine and Director of the Alkek Centre for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research. The Centre is involved in more than 400 metagenomics projects in humans which aim to improve human health through a better understanding of microbiomes and the development of new diagnostics and therapeutics. Dr. Petrosino is a popular speaker at national and international meetings and was named Distinguished Lecturer for 2012-2014 by the American Society for Microbiology.

Team

DR. CHUNXU GAO

PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST

Animal health and pathology research scientist with expertise in microbiome and diseases.

Dr. Gao has more than 10 years’ experience in microbiology research in academia and industry, including bacterial culture and identification, study design and methodology. He joined the ANIZOME team from Janssen, a division of Johnson and Johnson, where he had been Postdoctoral Research Fellow.

Dr. Gao was awarded a PhD from Baylor College of Medicine with a thesis that focused on the use of probiotics to treat animal diseases – specifically the impact of Lactobacillus reuteri on colonic inflammation and cancer. He has subsequently focused on the application of microbiome studies to enhance animal health and conducted postdoctoral research in immunology and pathology at Baylor College of Medicine and immunopharmacology at Janssen.

Dr. Gao has published several papers and abstracts and acts as a reviewer for a few scientific journals. He also speaks regularly at technical meetings.
At ANIZOME, Dr. Gao uses his experience in microbiology to lead our in-house microbiological culturing and screening programmes.

DR. MICHAEL ROSSI

SCIENTIFIC ADVISOR

Practising veterinary dermatologist with a special interest in innovative solutions in companion animal dermatology.

Dr. Rossi has a driving passion for finding innovative solutions to therapeutic challenges and has been actively involved in veterinary research. He has a particular interest and expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of skin, coat and nail diseases in animals.

Dr. Rossi obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from Southeastern Louisiana University before completing a master’s degree and becoming a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at Louisiana State University. After several veterinary research projects and internships, he developed his skills in dermatology during a two-year residency with North Carolina State University and while working with the Veterinary Referral Center of Colorado. During this time, he taught veterinary students about clinical and scientific aspects of dermatology.

Dr. Rossi is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Dermatology (ACVD) and currently works for a veterinary specialty clinic based in Houston. As well as small animals, Dr. Rossi enjoys working with horses and zoo animals.

Ross Mulford

Director of Business Development

Consultant at Stonehaven Consulting AG with four years’ experience in strategy and business development for animal health start-ups.

Ross Mulford received both his BSc (Hons) in Pharmacology and joint MSc in Precision Medicine & Pharmacological Innovation from the University of Glasgow. Following his studies Ross worked for an animal health start-up, before joining Stonehaven where he now consults on strategic projects for life science companies of all sizes. Through his time in consulting Ross has supported multiple animal health start-ups with their strategy and fundraising efforts, with several of them going on to successfully secure investment.

At ANIZOME, Ross will use his start-up experience and network in animal health to support business development and commercialization efforts.

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COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIPS

ANIZOME’s commercialization plan features establishment of partnerships, joint ventures, and licensing arrangements with industry to fuel microbiome innovation needs.

We are also interested in working together with other successful microbiome companies that have discovery or proprietary assets with potential in animal health.

If you would like to discuss partnering opportunities, contact us.

ACADEMIC & RESEARCH COLLABORATIONS

ANIZOME is working with academic researchers and institutes to generate samples from controlled disease cohorts and explore the role of the microbiome. We are always looking to collaborate and recruit innovation to our platform to help bridge the gap between research and commercialization.

If you are interested in collaborating, please contact us.