About this Research Topic
A live biotherapeutic is a biological product that contains live organisms, such as bacteria, that are naturally occurring, recombinant, or clonally selected and can be used in the prevention, treatment, or cure of a disease/condition and is not a vaccine.
Such a concept has emerged from the increased understanding of the relevance of host-microbiome interplay in health and disease. As a result there is an increasing number of studies seeking to capitalize on the clinical promise of microbiome or probiotic-based interventions. Although important probiotics are confined to a narrow range of organisms, knowledge of the human microbial symbionts has enabled the discovery and development of a novel array of microorganisms that include the emerging concept of next-generation probiotics and other human commensals, capable of performing vital metabolic functions and conferring growth and resilience in the gut and throughout the body.
Designing microbes as novel therapeutic agents can not only enable target drug delivery but also restore homeostasis within a disturbed microbial community. However, their successful application depends on their capacity to withstand several technological stages including growth, enrichment, freeze-drying or product incorporation and viability stability throughout shelf-life. For example the complete absence of oxygen throughout the production and concentration steps is crucial and quite challenging when working with anaerobic gut commensals. Novel delivery systems are needed. A better understanding of the unique challenges of this therapeutic class and the identification of efficient protection strategies will enable more translational research to move forward into new therapeutics.
The main topics covered by this Research Topic, either as Original Research or Review, comprise live biotherapeutics such as bacteria and yeasts, new strategies for manufacturing novel microbiome-based therapeutics, efficient delivery systems, materials, methodologies and experimental approaches, pharmacology of microbiome-based therapeutics, and regulatory issues.
Such a concept has emerged from the increased understanding of the relevance of host-microbiome interplay in health and disease. As a result there is an increasing number of studies seeking to capitalize on the clinical promise of microbiome or probiotic-based interventions. Although important probiotics are confined to a narrow range of organisms, knowledge of the human microbial symbionts has enabled the discovery and development of a novel array of microorganisms that include the emerging concept of next-generation probiotics and other human commensals, capable of performing vital metabolic functions and conferring growth and resilience in the gut and throughout the body.
Designing microbes as novel therapeutic agents can not only enable target drug delivery but also restore homeostasis within a disturbed microbial community. However, their successful application depends on their capacity to withstand several technological stages including growth, enrichment, freeze-drying or product incorporation and viability stability throughout shelf-life. For example the complete absence of oxygen throughout the production and concentration steps is crucial and quite challenging when working with anaerobic gut commensals. Novel delivery systems are needed. A better understanding of the unique challenges of this therapeutic class and the identification of efficient protection strategies will enable more translational research to move forward into new therapeutics.
The main topics covered by this Research Topic, either as Original Research or Review, comprise live biotherapeutics such as bacteria and yeasts, new strategies for manufacturing novel microbiome-based therapeutics, efficient delivery systems, materials, methodologies and experimental approaches, pharmacology of microbiome-based therapeutics, and regulatory issues.
Keywords: live biotherapeutics, next-generation probiotics, microbiome-based therapy, production systems, delivery systems, gut commensals
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