Richness and diversity of gut microbiota are increasingly found to be associated with cancer
outcomes. Moreover, an adequately responsive immune system seems to rely on the existence of
a functioning gut ecosystem that includes the microbiota and its natural environment.
Cancer by itself, but also cancer treatments - in particular chemotherapy - induce gut
dysbiosis, impair the constant reparation mechanisms of the gut epithelium, disrupt immune
homeostasis, and stunt immune responsiveness.
The objective of MaaT033 is to (1) prevent the decay of the gut ecosystem (dysbiosis) to
preserve immune homeostasis, (2) restore and optimize the gut ecosystem to full functionality
including its role in repairing the gut epithelium and healthy gut barrier, and (3) maintain
a restored gut ecosystem and fully functional immune homeostasis.
Restoring the full gut ecosystem and its associated microbiota could become an important
therapeutic option to improve clinical outcomes and control adverse events of conventional
approaches, including immunotherapy in cancer patients.
As a first step, MaaT033 capsules containing lyophilized, pooled, full-ecosystem microbiota
in its natural environment are to be tested for their safety and tolerability in
hematological malignant patients, who are exposed to intensive rounds of chemotherapy and
antibiotics.