MRM Health Secures €55 Million Series B Financing to Accelerate Development of Best-in-Class Microbiome-Based Biotherapeutics
MRM Health NV, a pioneering clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing transformative microbiome-based therapeutics, announced the successful closing of a €55 million (approximately US$64 million) Series B financing round. The investment represents one of the largest funding rounds in the European microbiome therapeutics space this year and underscores growing global recognition of the potential of live biotherapeutic products (LBPs) in addressing chronic inflammatory diseases and advancing novel approaches in immune-oncology.
The Series B round was spearheaded by Biocodex, a French pharmaceutical group with a long-standing legacy in microbiota science. The financing also attracted strong participation from ATHOS, a German-based investment group known for its commitment to life sciences innovation, alongside new investor BNP Paribas Fortis Private Equity. Existing backers, including SFPIM, Ackermans & van Haaren (AvH), OMX Europe Venture Fund (OMX), Qbic II, and the VIB, reaffirmed their confidence in MRM Health’s platform and clinical pipeline by contributing to this round.
This robust investor syndicate, spanning Europe’s leading pharmaceutical, investment, and scientific institutions, validates MRM Health’s position as a leader in the next generation of microbiome-based therapeutics.
Strengthening Leadership in the Microbiome Therapeutics Space
The fresh capital will be deployed to accelerate MRM Health’s ambitious research and development strategy. Central to this plan is the advancement of MH002, the company’s lead clinical program, currently being evaluated in a Phase 2b clinical trial in patients with mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis.
MH002 represents the most advanced rationally designed live microbial consortium for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in clinical development today. Unlike traditional single-strain probiotics or empirical combinations, MH002 was meticulously engineered using MRM Health’s proprietary CORAL® platform, which enables the rational design, optimization, and scaling of microbial consortia. By assembling complementary bacterial strains that work synergistically, the therapy aims to restore balance within the gut microbiome and address key disease pathways.
Earlier Phase 2a studies provided encouraging data, demonstrating both safety and initial clinical efficacy in patients with mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis. Notably, MH002 also showed promise in pouchitis, a rare and difficult-to-treat orphan disease associated with inflammation of the ileal pouch following colectomy in ulcerative colitis patients. These findings reinforced the therapeutic potential of microbiome consortia in tackling both prevalent and niche inflammatory conditions.
Beyond MH002, the company will channel funds into advancing two additional cutting-edge microbial consortia programs toward Investigational New Drug (IND) approval. One of these programs targets chronic inflammation, while the other seeks to improve the efficacy of immune-oncology therapies—an area of rapidly growing importance as checkpoint inhibitors and other immunotherapies continue to transform cancer treatment paradigms.
The financing will also allow MRM Health to broaden its pipeline by initiating strategic partnerships in human and animal health, extending the company’s reach beyond its core therapeutic areas.
Strategic Partnership with Biocodex
A particularly significant aspect of this financing round is the planned strategic development and manufacturing collaboration between MRM Health and Biocodex.
Biocodex, with more than 70 years of leadership in microbiota science, is well positioned to provide not only financial backing but also industrial-scale manufacturing expertise and therapeutic development experience. Together, the two companies aim to build scalable, high-quality manufacturing solutions for LBPs—an essential step in ensuring that live biotherapeutic therapies can be reliably and safely produced at commercial scale.
The partnership will also support the co-development of novel therapeutic assets, effectively combining Biocodex’s longstanding expertise in microbiota with MRM Health’s innovative platform-based approach. Importantly, the collaboration is expected to provide significant non-dilutive funding in the years to come, offering MRM Health further operational stability and flexibility as it advances its clinical pipeline.
Leadership Perspectives on the Financing
The announcement of the Series B round drew strong endorsements from MRM Health’s leadership team, its investors, and strategic partners.
Sam Possemiers, CEO of MRM Health, highlighted the transformative impact of the funding:
“This funding marks a pivotal moment for MRM Health. With the support of our experienced international investor syndicate, we are now well positioned to deliver transformative therapies for patients with chronic inflammatory diseases, where current treatments often fall short. Our CORAL® platform gives us a unique edge in designing potent, resilient, and scalable microbiome-based therapeutics. This new funding will allow us to further build both our platform and pipeline.”
Nicolas Coudurier, CEO of Biocodex, emphasized the strategic alignment between the two companies:
“Biocodex is a pioneer in microbiota science for over 70 years. We are excited to support MRM Health’s unique platform approach and leadership role in the field, reflecting our strategy of fostering innovation rooted in our core expertise. By combining our long-standing leadership in microbiota with breakthrough live biotherapeutics platforms, we aim to deliver meaningful solutions for patients worldwide.”
Julian Zachmann of ATHOS reinforced the investor group’s enthusiasm for MRM Health’s technology:
“MRM Health is at the forefront of a new era in microbiome-based therapeutics. Their technology has reached the maturity needed to effectively develop, scale, and commercialize live biotherapeutics for major chronic inflammatory diseases with high unmet need. We are proud to support their journey toward significant patient impact.”
From the perspective of BNP Paribas Fortis Private Equity, the investment represents both scientific and therapeutic promise. Raf Moons, Head of BNP Paribas Fortis Private Equity, commented:
We are delighted to join a strong syndicate of investors to support the further development of MRM Health. With two decades of unique scientific expertise in the field of microbiome, this funding round reflects our confidence in MRM Health’s technology and the management’s ability to translate science into therapeutic solutions that will truly make a difference for patients.”
Werner Cautreels, Chairman of MRM Health’s Board of Directors, expressed gratitude to both new and existing investors:
We warmly welcome our new investors and thank them for their trust. With this strong international syndicate, MRM Health is well equipped to advance its pipeline and deliver this novel class of therapeutics to patients in need of alternative, innovative treatment options.”
Expansion of the Board of Directors
As part of the Series B financing, MRM Health will further strengthen its governance by expanding its Board of Directors.
New appointees include:
- Jean-Patrick Hennebelle (Biocodex)
- Julian Zachmann (ATHOS)
- Goedele Ertveldt (SFPIM)
Their collective expertise in pharmaceutical strategy, financial oversight, and biotech scaling will play a crucial role in guiding MRM Health through its next phase of growth.
The Broader Context: Microbiome-Based Therapeutics
The successful financing of MRM Health comes at a time of increasing global interest in microbiome science. Over the past decade, the microbiome has emerged as a central player in human health, influencing everything from immune system development to metabolic regulation and neurological function.
Traditional drug discovery approaches often overlook the intricate interplay between host and microbiota, leaving significant therapeutic potential untapped. MRM Health’s strategy—rooted in rational design of microbial consortia—seeks to bridge this gap by developing therapies that directly target microbial ecosystems.
Live Biotherapeutic Products (LBPs) are distinct from probiotics in that they are engineered for therapeutic purposes, with rigorous scientific design and clinical validation. By leveraging its CORAL® platform, MRM Health can design LBPs that are not only effective but also stable, scalable, and regulatory-compliant—addressing key challenges that have historically hindered progress in the field.
The company’s focus on inflammatory diseases and immune-oncology reflects two of the most pressing areas of unmet medical need. Conditions like ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and pouchitis remain inadequately addressed by existing therapies, which often carry significant side effects and do not provide durable remission for many patients. Similarly, the promise of microbiome interventions to boost cancer immunotherapies offers a potentially transformative avenue for improving survival outcomes in oncology.
With €55 million in fresh capital, an expanded investor base, and a strategic manufacturing partnership with Biocodex, MRM Health is poised to enter its next chapter of growth. The coming years will see the company advancing MH002 through Phase 2b trials, progressing additional pipeline candidates to IND, and broadening its portfolio through partnerships across human and animal health.
In doing so, MRM Health continues to strengthen its role as a leader in the field of microbiome-based biotherapeutics, a space increasingly recognized as a frontier of medical innovation.
As CEO Sam Possemiers summarized, this financing is not just about capital—it represents a validation of MRM Health’s vision to harness the power of the microbiome for the benefit of patients worldwide.
For more information about MRM Health and its pipeline, please visit www.mrmhealth.com or follow the company on LinkedIn.
