Seerave Announces Strategic Focus on Antibiotics and Cancer Immunotherapy

Over the past twelve months, the Seerave Foundation has convened large parts of its network to identify how to best position its science and venture philanthropy platform to deliver meaningful improvements to cancer care within the next five years. Drawing from these conversations, which have been partially summarized in a recent Cancer Cell perspective, we would like to announce a new strategic focus for the Foundation: mitigating the impacts of antibiotics and other microbiome modifiers on cancer patients’ outcomes.

An estimated 30% of patients take antibiotics prior to immunotherapies like immune checkpoint inhibitors, and analyses of more than 40,000 patients have found a strong association between antibiotic use, immune system function, and poorer responses to these promising new treatments. Immunotherapies still only work in a fraction of cancer patients, and it has become a major effort of oncology researchers to uncover why.

Members of Seerave’s research network put forth some of the first studies and meta analyses looking closely at the relationship between antibiotic use, immunotherapy, and poorer patient outcomes, and the follow-up investigations on mechanism and causality. 

Building on this work, Seerave’s strategic focus is designed to help the Foundation measurably improve cancer patients’ lives within five years. Seerave aims to clarify how antibiotics and other microbiome modifiers impact patient outcomes, inform practical advice to clinicians and patients, and propel the development of new tools and technologies.  

In pursuit of these goals, we are privileged to welcome our first Scientific Advisors, Martin Blaser, MD and Per Falk, MD, PhD to advance the Foundation’s research agenda and bring scientific excellence to its programs.  

• Dr. Martin Blaser holds the Henry Rutgers Chair of the Human Microbiome at Rutgers University, and serves as Director of the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine. A physician and microbiologist, Dr. Blaser has driven seminal research on the relationship of the human microbiome with health and diseases, including asthma, obesity, diabetes, and cancer. Dr. Blaser has served as President of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, Chair of the Board of Scientific Counselors of the National Cancer Institute, Chair of the Advisory Board for Clinical Research of the NIH, and Chair of the Presidential Advisory Council for Combatting Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria (PACCARB). He has authored over 600 original scientific articles, holds 24 U.S. patents, and is the author of Missing Microbes.
   

• Dr. Per Falk has been investigating and advancing microbiome science for over 30 years, most recently as President and Chief Scientific Officer of Ferring Pharmaceuticals, where he oversaw the development of one of the first microbiome therapies to receive FDA approval. Prior to joining Ferring, Dr. Falk held executive and senior leadership positions at Novo Nordisk and AstraZeneca in research, medical and clinical development roles. He has held the role of Associate Professor at the Karolinska Institute, Sweden and the Washington University School of Medicine, USA. 

Seerave is also delighted to welcome two new team members, Mark Smith, PhD and Carolyn Edelstein, to lead some of its new activities. Our approach will be organized under the following strategic pillars:  

• Data Integration: Build a data consortium that collaboratively integrates and interrogates clinical data on microbiome modifiers in cancer immunotherapy from leading hospitals and research institutions. Led by Laura Mählmann 

• Policy and Practice: Empower oncologists and other key stakeholders with practical, evidence-based advice that reflect the latest understanding of the role of microbiome modifiers in cancer care. Led by Carolyn Edelstein  

• Novel Tools: Foster the development of new tools and services for oncologists through Seerave Ventures, our hands-on impact investment vehicle that supports a select number of mission-aligned companies with the potential to transform patient care. Seerave Ventures will be led by Mark Smith 

• Community and Collaboration: Cultivate community across disciplinary silos and geography by creating and empowering a self-sustained, mission-aligned network of relevant stakeholders, including clinical researchers, clinical practitioners, public health experts, entrepreneurs, and patient advocates. Led by Laura Mählmann 

A legacy of bringing new insights to cancer care 

Almost a decade ago, after seeing how an emphasis on microbiome health brought new hope during his wife’s cancer journey, David Rees established the Seerave Foundation with a vision of bringing precision medicine and groundbreaking scientific insights on the microbiome and immune system function to cancer care. At the time, an appreciation of the microbiome’s relevance to cancer was far from mainstream. Today, it is seen as one of the most promising new arenas in the search for therapeutic breakthroughs. Seerave’s research network has driven many of the insights that have mobilized the field, including:  

• The Mediterranean diet is associated with improved outcomes in melanoma patients following immune-checkpoint blockade [1]

• The microbiome is different in responders vs. non-responders to immune-checkpoint blockade [2] [3], there are plausible mechanisms by which microbiota may influence therapeutic response, and biomarkers of cancer-associated microbiome dysbiosis [4]

• Fecal microbiota transplantation may improve immune-checkpoint-blockade outcomes [5]

Beyond its role in catalyzing research, Seerave has supported the translation of these and other key discoveries into a wide array of products, from new public health tools and biotechnology companies to public interest projects like microbiome conservation initiatives and critically acclaimed documentaries.

We look forward to sharing updates of our progress in the coming months. We would also keenly welcome feedback and opportunities to collaborate, and we would love to hear if our mission and work resonates with you and is as close to your heart as it is to ours.