CC Bio Gains Seed Funding Boost from CMS Ventures

Synthetic biology start-up, CC Bio, has raised £890,000 (US $1.2 million) in seed funding from CMS Ventures—an early-stage investor based in Cambridge, United Kingdom—to accelerate the development of an innovative approach to infection treatment and prevention.

According to an Aug. 25, 2021 press release, the monies raised will be used to advance CC Bio’s microbiome editing technologies, which harness potent enzymes derived from bacterial viruses (bacteriophage) to seek out and destroy harmful and disease-causing bacteria. The novel approach is expected to be able to provide an alternative to antibiotic treatment, while also providing infection prevention. The primary patient group being targeted by CC Bio for treatment with its approach are women with bacterial vaginosis (BV).

“BV represents a major global challenge,” said Dr. Matthew Cummings, co-founder and CEO of CC Bio, in the press release. “Many women face persistent and recurring episodes of the condition, which not only affects their self-esteem and confidence but also carries significant prenatal health risks such as miscarriage and an increased STI risk. This funding will further develop our revolutionary technologies, offering effective alternatives to women who have been underserved by poorly functioning antibiotic therapies.”

“Our novel approach of highly selectively eliminating 'bad' bacteria from the wider microbiome holds the promise of not only effectively treating conditions such as BV but also potentially preventing them occurring in the first place or recurring,” added Cummings. “This technology has the potential to transform life for the millions of women around the world who suffer with BV, effectively addressing the most common vaginal infection of women of childbearing age.”

In addition to targeting BV, CC Bio is also focusing on patients with cystic fibrosis. Furthermore, the company hopes that through additional developments based on its core technology platform it may be able to provide solutions for a wide range of bacterial infections and could help to tackle antibiotic-resistant superbugs.

“Science is beginning to piece together how the trillions of microbes that live on and in all of us—our microbiome—affect our physical health,” said CMS Ventures investment committee member Andy Clark, who is joining the CC Bio board as investor director, in the press release. “CC Bio is operating at the cutting edge of this nascent scientific field, which has the potential to transform the lives of millions of patients whilst also reducing healthcare costs around the world. CMS Ventures is proud to continue to support the most innovative biotech start-ups emerging from the exciting Cambridge scientific community.”

Source: CC Bio