Biosortia Pharmaceuticals is utilizing unique technologies to obtain the chemistry of previously unstudied microorganisms for drug discovery

San Diego, California (November 8, 2016) – Biosortia Pharmaceuticals Inc. announces today that it is conducting an aquatic microbiome harvest from the Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier on Tuesday, November 8 through Thursday, November 10. Microbiomes are being recognized by researchers as potential new opportunities in human health and drugs.

Biosortia studies the hidden chemistry of aquatic microbiomes for potential new drugs due to the genetic and metabolic link to human microbiomes. Emphasizing this important connection research has shown a 73% overlap in the human gut microbiome and the marine microbiome. Furthermore, in May, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy announced a new National Microbiome Initiative to foster the integrated study of microbiomes for a variety of scientific and practical purposes including human health

Biosortia Pharmaceuticals has built a capability and capacity to access the richest chemistry on earth for first-in-class small molecules with new mechanisms of action for high priority unmet needs in human health. Biosortia’s scout system and full production systems have conducted multiple harvests of microbiomes. The smaller scout system is currently recovering a sizable marine microbiome in the photic zone at the Scripps Memorial research pier located at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography. The current harvest is expected to provide Biosortia information about the actual chemistry of this particular microbiome for drug discovery opportunities as well as materials for collaborating researchers.

Biosortia Pharmaceuticals’ business model is to obtain and license discoveries from the aquatic microbiome because of the historical success of natural product chemistry specifically cultured microorganism chemistry leading to new drugs. Even with only 1% of culturable microorganisms of which only 2% of those in culture produce interesting chemistry this minimal productivity has led to more than 25% of all drugs. Pharma companies and researchers are actively rethinking natural product chemistry because of failures of high profile alternative strategies such as combinatorial chemistry where billions have been spent for decades to only delivered one drug on the shelf.

With its proprietary technologies, Biosortia has unparalleled access to meaningful microbiomes capturing nearly 100% of the available microbiome chemistry. The harvesting and microbiome mining of sufficient quantities of unstudied aquatic microorganisms permits Biosortia to unlock access to a rich source of novel chemical diversity. Biosortia’s resulting chemistry is separated and processed into simplified samples for screening in state-of-the-art assays against critical diseases. The scientific team optimizes and derivatizes the lead chemistry for patenting while chemistry assets are advanced and potentially licensed for development.

Ross Youngs, Biosortia’s Founder and CEO stated, “Biosortia is opening a new frontier in our ability to access aquatic microbiomes containing novel drug-like chemistry for drug discovery. We are encouraged to demonstrate our ability to access trace compounds from a rich source of new chemistry at the historic and renowned Scripps research pier”. Celebrating its 100 year anniversary, the pier continues to support aquatic research. Named after significant donor Ellen Browning Scripps, the pier is one of the world’s biggest research piers providing access to the Scripps Coastal Reserve.

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About Biosortia Pharmaceuticals – Biosortia has a proven and unique ability to obtain unculturable aquatic microbial consortia from the natural environment in unprecedented quantities allowing its research team to discover a diverse array of new natural products. Biosortia is actively engaging pharmaceutical research and development organizations to explore the huge opportunity of exploring aquatic microbial consortia for potential therapeutic agents.

About JLABS – The Biosortia Pharmaceutical operations are located at JLABS in San Diego (JLABS @SD). JLABS is a 40,000 square-foot life science innovation center, located in San Diego. The labs provide a flexible environment for start-up companies pursuing new technologies and research platforms to advance medical care. Through a “no strings attached” model, JJI does not take an equity stake in the companies occupying JLABS and the companies are free to develop products – either on their own or by initiating a separate external partnership with JJI or any other company.