Skip to main content
Premium Trial:

Request an Annual Quote

Second Genome, Pfizer to Conduct Microbiome Research

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Second Genome today announced a deal with Pfizer to conduct a large microbiome observational study to find out more about obesity and metabolic diseases.

The study is aimed at evaluating clinical factors and the microbiome in a cohort of about 900 individuals with various metabolic phenotypes in order to elucidate the interrelationship between the microbiome, obesity, and metabolic disorders, Second Genome said.

The cohort consists of patients and normal test subjects recruited by a team led by Paul Huang of Massachusetts General Hospital's cardiology division. Studies involving the cohort recently led to the discovery of a gene that confers resistance to the development of diabetes, the South San Francisco, Calif.-based company added.

"Our relationship with Pfizer on a study of this size and magnitude is needed to potentially shift our understanding of this runaway epidemic and find fresh approaches to treating metabolic disease," Second Genome CEO Peter DiLauria said in a statement.

Financial and other terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Second Genome applies microbiome sciences for new drug development. Its technologies are for identifying, screening, and validating therapeutic candidates and microbial biomarkers.

The Scan

ChatGPT Does As Well As Humans Answering Genetics Questions, Study Finds

Researchers in the European Journal of Human Genetics had ChatGPT answer genetics-related questions, finding it was about 68 percent accurate, but sometimes gave different answers to the same question.

Sequencing Analysis Examines Gene Regulatory Networks of Honeybee Soldier, Forager Brains

Researchers in Nature Ecology & Evolution find gene regulatory network differences between soldiers and foragers, suggesting bees can take on either role.

Analysis of Ashkenazi Jewish Cohort Uncovers New Genetic Loci Linked to Alzheimer's Disease

The study in Alzheimer's & Dementia highlighted known genes, but also novel ones with biological ties to Alzheimer's disease.

Tara Pacific Expedition Project Team Finds High Diversity Within Coral Reef Microbiome

In papers appearing in Nature Communications and elsewhere, the team reports on findings from the two-year excursion examining coral reefs.