Boosting fertility by changing the vaginal microbiome

Beyond Biotech - the podcast from Labiotech

Freya Biosciences is a clinical-stage biotech company dedicated to reimagining women's health and redefining fertility for those previously deprived of options.

With a focus on microbial immunotherapies, Freya addresses immune drivers underlying a range of reproductive health conditions.
The company recently received $38 million Series A financing to advance the clinical development of its lead drug candidate, an investigational vaginal microbial immunotherapeutic. The treatment is to address infertility in women with dysbiotic vaginal microbiota who are undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART).
This week’s conversation is with Freya chief science officer and co-founder Johan van Hylckama Vlieg.
00:58-01:55: About Freya Biosciences
01:55-07:12: What is the vaginal microbiome?
07:12-08:11: Are there differences between individuals’ vaginal microbiomes?
08:11-10:20: Does this make treatments challenging?
10:20-15:33: How does your platform use immunotherapy on the microbiome?
15:33-16:51: How does the vaginal microbiome change following treatment?
16:51-18:14: What happens to the vaginal microbiome of unsuccessful treatments?
18:14-20:10: How is success measured?
20:10-21:51: Could this lead to treatments of other conditions?
21:51-22:51: Does the vaginal microbiome change during menopause?
22:51-25:05: What are your clinical trials?
25:05-26:25: Does your treatment work better in combination with others?
26:25-27:36: Is it easy to find patients for trials?
27:36-30:14: How are the treatments manufactured?
30:14-31:55: How important is your recent funding?
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Chapters

1. Boosting fertility by changing the vaginal microbiome (00:00:00)

2. About Freya Biosciences (00:00:58)

3. What is the vaginal microbiome? (00:01:55)

4. Are there differences between individuals’ vaginal microbiomes? (00:07:12)

5. Does this make treatments challenging? (00:08:11)

6. How does your platform use immunotherapy on the microbiome? (00:10:20)

7. How does the vaginal microbiome change following treatment? (00:15:33)

8. What happens to the vaginal microbiome of patients where treatments were unsuccessful?
 (00:16:51)

9. How is success measured?
 (00:18:14)

10. Could this lead to treatments of other conditions?
 (00:20:10)

11. Does the vaginal microbiome change during menopause?
 (00:21:51)

12. What are the details of your clinical trials?
 (00:22:51)

13. Does your treatment work better in combination with others?
 (00:25:05)

14. Is it easy to find patients for trials? (00:26:25)

15. How are the treatments manufactured?
 (00:27:36)

16. How important is your recent funding? (00:30:14)