Chicago-based biotechnology company ClostraBio, Inc. has announced a successful bridge financing round with new institutional investors, including the Illinois Innovation Venture Fund (INVENT) and NextGen Nutrition Investment Partners (NGN). The company simultaneously revealed the appointment of a new Chief Scientific Officer and plans to launch its first microbiome therapeutic product in summer 2025.
The INVENT program, administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), aims to bolster the state's growing biotechnology sector by supporting promising startups.
"We are proud to support the innovative spirit and growing biotechnology sector in Illinois. By investing in companies like ClostraBio through the Illinois Innovation Venture Fund, we are strengthening the state's position as a leader in biotechnology and entrepreneurship," said Illinois DCEO Director Kristin Richards.
Strategic Investment in Gut Health Innovation
NextGen Nutrition Investment Partners, which focuses on disruptive technologies in the global food industry, has joined the investment round. NGN partner Andrew Towle emphasized the importance of their investment: "It is increasingly clear that gut health is vital to overall health and that butyrate production is one of the most important contributing factors. We are convinced that ClostraBio's unique technologies will really help people afflicted with a host of gut health issues."
The company's lead product, CLB101™, is described as a first-in-class, next-generation probiotic isolated from healthy humans. Preclinical studies suggest it can mimic key elements of a healthy microbiome by providing direct, continuous production of butyrate in the lower gut—a critical short-chain fatty acid associated with intestinal barrier function and overall gut health.
Leadership Expansion with Scientific Expertise
In a strategic move to strengthen its scientific leadership, ClostraBio has appointed Brian Meehan, PhD, as Chief Scientific Officer. Meehan brings significant expertise in microbiome product development, having previously led similar efforts at Kaleido Biosciences and Pareto Bio. His background includes a PhD in Microbiology from Tufts University and post-doctoral training at Harvard Medical School, followed by more than eight years in the biotech industry.
Meehan will spearhead the launch of CLB101™ this summer through partnerships with U.S.-based dietary supplement companies that market directly to healthcare practitioners. This go-to-market strategy targets clinicians who understand the scientific importance of butyrate in gut health.
University of Chicago Origins and Continued Growth
Founded in 2016 as a spin-out from the University of Chicago, ClostraBio has grown to five full-time employees plus multiple consultants while operating from Portal Innovations, a life sciences incubator. The company's academic roots have played a crucial role in its development trajectory.
"Built on groundbreaking research from the University of Chicago, ClostraBio is making incredible strides in microbiome innovation," noted Samir Mayekar, Managing Director of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. "Supported by the Polsky Center, the company in 2017 secured investment from the George Shultz Innovation Fund and was a finalist in the New Venture Challenge. As ClostraBio prepares to launch its product later this year, we're eager to see its continued growth and the impact it will make in the microbiome field."
Dual-Platform Approach to Gut Health
ClostraBio is pursuing a dual technology platform strategy. Beyond CLB101™, the company is developing a novel polymeric prodrug platform designed to deliver small molecules to the lower gut—potentially addressing multiple microbiome-related conditions through different mechanisms.
The company plans to launch CLB101™ under its commercial partner's brand names, which remain undisclosed at this time. Following the product launch, ClostraBio intends to continue expanding in Chicago, growing its pipeline to address what it describes as "high unmet need caused by microbiome-related gut health challenges."
This financing and leadership expansion positions ClostraBio to transition from research-stage company to commercial entity, with its first product entering the market through healthcare practitioner channels—a common entry strategy for science-backed microbiome therapeutics seeking clinical validation before broader commercialization.
