‘Bugs As Drugs’ Approach To Cancer Nears Advanced Development

Microbiome modulators, known mainly for development in infectious and gastrointestinal diseases, could prove an asset in oncology thanks to the work of biotechs.  

3D rendered illustration of bacteria.
Eighty Percent Of Cellular Immunity Is Present In The Intestine • Source: Alamy

The human microbiome is a growing area of therapeutic exploration, especially in the context of infectious and gastrointestinal diseases. The microbiome refers to the collective genomes of the 10-to-100 trillion micro-organisms in the human body that aid with metabolic processes, protect against pathogens and interact with the immune system.

The last of these functions underpins the relatively novel application of microbiome modulators in the field of oncology. There are...

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