People with phenylketonuria have to stick to strict diets to prevent the toxic buildup of phenylalanine, a key constituent of proteins, which otherwise can lead to severe neurological and cognitive impairments.
Researchers at Synlogic, a Massachusetts-based biotech, now report that a bacterium genetically modified to remove phenylalanine (Phe) from the blood shows promise in preclinical trials. The study, published this week (August 13) in Nature Biotechnology, reveals that the probiotic can significantly lower Phe levels in both mouse models of phenylketonuria (PKU) and in healthy monkeys.
The treatment, dubbed SYNB1618, is a reprogrammed version of a widely used probiotic, Escherichia coli Nissle. In rodent models of PKU, SYNB1618 taken orally after an injection of Phe decreased the levels of the amino acid by 38 percent compared to untreated animals.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) awarded Synlogic a fast-track designation for SYNB1618 this April, and researchers are currently testing ...
