KoBioLabs said on Friday that it has been selected as a research institute of the Ministry of Trade Industry and Energy’s (MOTIE) Bio-Industry Technology Development Project to commercialize a microbiome therapeutic for treating severe autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

The project aims to develop human microbiome-based therapeutics that can improve the severity of ASD by simultaneously regulating serotonin and T helper 17 cells in the gut. Overall, the project will receive 3.2 billion won ($2.4 million) in support until December 2025.

Professor Kim Eun-ha of neuroscience at Korea University will serve as the principal investigator of the project, and clinical centers at KoBiolabs and Kyung Hee University Medical Center, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, and Soon Chun Hyang University Hospital will all participate.

In particular, they will utilize various mouse models and germ-free animal models of ASD to demonstrate the specific mechanisms of action of the therapeutics under development.

"The results of this project are expected to bring a major innovation to the autism spectrum disorder treatment market, which lacks a solid treatment option," said an official from KoBioLabs. "We plan to lead the autism spectrum treatment market based on the human microbiome in the future."