Glasgow life sciences pioneer behind IBS treatment gets £19m boost in one of largest investments of its kind
“Our mission is to redefine the standard of care in gastrointestinal disease” – James McIlroy, founder and CEO
A Scottish life sciences pioneer behind treatments for conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and liver cirrhosis has completed one of the largest investments of its kind in recent years.
Glasgow-headquartered EnteroBiotix will use the £19 million cash injection to support one of the world’s most extensive clinical trials of microbiome drugs used to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
The latest funding round was led by life science investor Thairm Bio and the Scottish National Investment Bank, and participation from existing investors, with EnteroBiotix having raised in excess of £65m of total investment since the company was founded by its chief executive James McIlroy in 2017. McIlroy started the company while training to be a doctor after recognising the untapped therapeutic potential of the gut microbiome.
IBS is thought to affect as many as one in ten of the global population, with up to twice as many women diagnosed compared to men, and the Scottish biotech company’s drug - EBX-102-02 - has the potential to transform the lives of tens of millions of patients worldwide.
The latest trial involving some 300 patients has commenced, with the drug manufactured by EnteroBiotix in Scotland. Topline efficacy data from the clinical trial is expected during the second half of 2027.
McIlroy said: “Our clinical data indicates that EBX-102-02 has the potential to deliver transformative outcomes for patients with IBS. Unlike conventional probiotics, which contain a limited number of strains, our therapy comprises over 400 species and is designed to restore the gut microbiome at scale. By doing so, we aim to address underlying disease biology and deliver clinically meaningful improvements in patient outcomes.”
He added: “Our mission is to redefine the standard of care in gastrointestinal disease, improving the lives of patients with IBS while building a leading global biopharmaceutical company from our base in Scotland.”
EnteroBiotix’s clinical pipeline spans IBS, liver cirrhosis and blood cancer. The company, which is chaired by former Merck Serono chief executive Elmar Schnee, has a number of strategic partnerships and research collaborations in place, including with Imperial College London.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.