The $30 million toe in the water

A late-phase trial is set to test the efficacy of probiotics in treating kidney cancer, marking a significant shift in the approach to cancer treatment.

The study, funded by the National Cancer Institute, will involve nearly 700 participants with advanced renal cell carcinoma, who will receive capsules of CBM588, a strain of bacteria, alongside their regular immunotherapy treatments.

Dr. Pedro Barata, one of the principal investigators, is optimistic about the potential for this treatment to change the standard of care.

An echo of Sydney's 2024 institutional buy-up

A recent publication by the American Society of Clinical Oncology lists nearly 100 recent or ongoing studies testing various ways to manipulate the gut microbiome to help treat cancer .

This trend is not new, as researchers have been exploring the connectiion between microbes in the gut and the immune system for over a decade.

Dr. sumanta Pal, who led the City of Hope research, credits Dr. Paul Frankel, a biostatistician, for sharing his knowledge of the correlation between gut bacteria and animal health.

What auditors flagged in the May filing

The study's focus on the microbiome is a direct result of the recognition that aggressive treatment was causing collateral damage.

Dr. Marcel van den Brink, a specialist in bloodborne cancers, recalls the high mortality rate among transplant patients in the 1990s, which sparked a shift in research focus.

The connection between microbes and cancer treatment is now being hailed as the next frontier in cancer prevention and care.

Who is the unnamed buyer?

The study's funding source , the National Cancer Institute, is a government agency dedicated to cancer research.

The study's principal investigators, including Dr. Pedro Barata, are experts in the field of cancer treatment and research.

The study's participants will be patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, who will receive capsules of CBM588 alongside their regular immunotherapy treatments.