Creative Biolabs specialists state that some Enterococcus strains have particular favorable qualities. Their unique capability to tolerate bile salts and acidic environments facilitates their colonization of the gut and increases their potential for success as oral Live Biotherapeutic Products (LBPs).
However, the other side of Enterococcus—its opportunistic pathogen potential—poses a core bottleneck for LBP development. Specifically, the virulence factors of some strains and the growing multi-drug resistance (MDR), such as Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus (VRE), demand extremely stringent safety screening from developers.
The chief scientist of the LBP R&D department at Creative Biolabs, in an interview with this publication, emphasized, "When it comes to using Enterococcus spp. for the development of probiotic therapies, safety assessment takes absolute priority above everything else." The scientist further explained, "We have to evaluate strains for their possible pathogenicity along with their probiotic effect. We need to combine advanced genomics and in vitro toxicology with the classic techniques of microbial identification and functional screening."
In response to the obstacles faced within the sector, Creative Biolabs has designed a tailored Enterococcus microbiome CRO service platform. Primary to this platform is the ability to provide bespoke, high-quality research services geared at moving potential LBP candidates from discovery and into preclinical stages of evaluation.
For precise screening and functional validation, in the case of Enterococcus faecium projects, the entire scope of the CRO service includes the efficient isolation and identification of target strains from complex samples, followed by an elaborate functional and Mechanism of Action (MoA) screening. Metabolic capabilities, bacteriocin production, and potential anti-pathogen antagonism are considered in this screening.
Rigorous safety and resistance assessment is the most important aspect of research on Enterococcus. For high-risk Enterococcus faecalis, Creative Biolabs offers a complete package of biosafety and antimicrobial susceptibility and resistance testing, which means the minimum inhibitory concentration is determined, the presence of transferable antibiotic resistance is tested, and finally, biosafety testing is performed.
Host interaction and formulation optimization services ensure that an effective and stable LBP must be guaranteed simultaneously. Other services within the platform support high-throughput host-microbe interactions testing, including adhesion studies and gut barrier integrity testing with intestinal epithelial cell lines and immune system modulation assessment.
"We do not provide services only; we protect the research we deliver. We provide complete support and seek to transform effective and safe Enterococcus strains into advanced life-saving medicine," said the chief scientist.
