Finch Therapeutics: Empowering Immune Systems - [Business Breakdowns, EP. 41]

Dec 29, 2021

Mark Smith, co-founder and CEO of Finch Therapeutics, leads the charge in microbiome therapeutics. He dives into how the microbiome influences immune function and its crucial role in overall health. Mark discusses the shift from traditional bacterial research to modern DNA techniques, emphasizing the need for balanced gut health. He also sheds light on innovative therapies like fecal transplants versus probiotics, and the challenges faced by biotech firms in this evolving landscape. Enjoy insights on transforming patient care through microbiome research!

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INSIGHT

The Microbiome's Importance

The microbiome, a community of microbes within our bodies, is crucial for various functions like digestion, vitamin synthesis, and immune regulation.
Understanding its importance has been challenging due to the difficulty of growing many of these bacteria in the lab.

INSIGHT

The Gut's Role

The gut is specifically designed to grow bacteria, which helps us extract energy from food that we cannot digest on our own.
This co-evolution with bacteria allows us to adapt to new food sources quickly without needing to evolve new digestive mechanisms.

INSIGHT

Consequences of a Missing Microbiome

A human without bacteria would have a severely compromised immune system and overall health.
The immune system relies on signals from the microbiome, and disrupting this communication can lead to autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

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Today’s episode is part business breakdown and part biology breakdown as we explore Finch Therapeutics and their novel work on the microbiome, which plays a crucial role in regulating our immune system.

To help break down these topics, I’m joined by Mark Smith, co-founder and CEO of Finch Therapeutics. Mark is a leader in the microbiome field and the perfect person to cross the bridge between business and science.

As Mark outlines, we’ve made a lot of progress in living longer, but we are yet to make significant steps to living better. In our discussion, we explore what the microbiome is, why it’s so important, and the role that Finch plays in helping patients transform their lives. We then turn to the business side of developing therapeutics drugs and what Mark has learned there.

Please enjoy this breakdown of Finch Therapeutics.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.

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Show Notes

[00:02:55] - [First question] - What is the microbiome?

[00:04:56] - Where the microbiome is inside the body

[00:06:42] - Overview of what bacteria is in general terms and what they do for us

[00:10:44] - What would happen to a human that didn’t have any bacteria

[00:13:29] - Inflammatory auto-immune diseases and widespread antibiotics

[00:14:32] - How seasonal allergies and gut bacteria are related

[00:16:32] - Key contributors that have led to our current understanding of the microbiome

[00:18:48] - Whether an absence or dominance of bacteria is more concerning

[00:20:47] - The state of stool sample diagnostics today

[00:22:52] - Tools available today for widespread microbial treatment and repair

[00:24:48] - The science behind probiotics and whether or not they’re worth it

[00:27:00] - Fecal transplants and supporting empirical evidence of their efficacy

[00:31:39] - Addressable conditions that Finch Therapeutics seeks to solve

[00:35:27] - What the end game looks like and the timeline to achieve it

[00:40:05] - Is there a future where we use these therapeutics preventatively?

[00:41:22] - Key risks that could threaten the growth of Finch in the coming decade

[00:43:10] - What it’s been like running a company that is so different than its competitors

[00:45:51] - Whether or not the regulatory and iterative pace of therapeutics will increase

[00:48:19] - How much his lifestyle has changed given what he knows now in this field

[00:50:50] - Other innovations taking place in the microbiome and related therapeutics

[00:52:28] - What most has his attention outside of his field in health science today

[00:53:24] - Learn more about the microbiome; I Contain Multitudes (book)

[00:53:42] - The kindest thing anyone has ever done for him