COVID-19 vaccines using mRNA technology do not affect fertility outcomes during in-vitro fertilization (IVF), researchers found. Other new findings suggest the bacteria living in the small intestine may contribute to the risk for long COVID after infection with SARS-CoV-2.

A study on weight loss suggests that, apart from body mass index (BMI), the likelihood that a person will fail or succeed at shedding the pounds is linked to the genetic makeup of one’s gut microbiome. 

AbelsonTaylor promoted Laura Paul to senior account director. According to the full-service health and wellness advertising agency, she will play a lead role in launching a novel treatment for recurrent C. difficile in the expanding area of microbiome therapeutics and will also continue as team leader on two established accounts.

Seres Therapeutics and Nestlé Health Science have teamed up for the joint commercialization of Seres’ investigational oral microbiome treatment for recurrent Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) infections. 

Microbial sciences company Seed Health closed a $40 million Series A financing round and Dutch company Anavo Therapeutics announced seed financing totaling €20 million ($24 million) to discover small molecules that target phosphatases.

Somerville, Massachusetts-based Finch Therapeutics closed a $90 million Series D financing, with plans to use the funds to advance the company’s lead candidate CP101 for recurrent C. difficile infection through the final stages of clinical development and regulatory submission.

A review of recently published scientific studies includes a look at the potential of using flu and pneumonia vaccines to decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Finch Therapeutics reported positive topline results from PRISM3, a Phase II trial of CP101, an oral microbiome drug for the prevention of recurrent C. difficile infection.

Gilead Sciences and South San Francisco-based Second Genome forged a four-year strategic collaboration worth more than $1.5 billion that will boost chances to discover and develop new targets and drug candidates for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease through microbiome research.

The microbiome is the trillions of microorganisms – bacteria, fungi, and viruses – that live in and on the body. Although it makes complete sense that these would play a factor in gastrointestinal diseases, such as Crohn’s and colitis, it’s less obvious that it would play a role in anything ranging from lung diseases to neurodegenerative diseases. But increasingly, evidence is suggesting it is, and a lot of investors are throwing money into the field in hopes it will come up with the next big blockbuster.