Microbiotica Secures £36 Million to Advance Gut‑Bacteria Therapy for Ulcerative Colitis

Microbiotica, a U.K. company that develops microbiome medicines, raised £36 million (€43 million) in a Series C round led by the British Business Bank. The funding will help bring its ulcerative colitis drug MB310 into a Phase 2 trial. MB310 is a once‑daily capsule containing eight live gut bacterial strains that aim to keep patients in remission without suppressing the immune system.

Early Trial Results

In a Phase 1b study called COMPOSER‑1, 12 of 19 patients taking MB310 reached clinical remission after 12 weeks, compared with 3 of 10 on placebo. The capsules were taken once a day on top of standard treatments at sites across Europe. The bacteria began colonising patients’ guts within a week and remained present for three months.

The company plans a randomized, double‑blind, placebo‑controlled Phase 2 study that will test MB310 alongside existing anti‑inflammatory or immune‑modulating drugs. The trial will use a clinical scoring system that does not require endoscopy, addressing an area where other bacterial therapies have struggled to show benefit. If successful, MB310 could offer a new option for people who cannot achieve remission with current medications.