Tiny capsule, big impact: The BC breakthrough that could transform gut health

25 March 2025

Photo: Dr. Deanna Gibson, pictured second from left, with the team at Melius MicroBiomics.

In the offices of Melius MicroBiomics, CEO Robert Emlyn holds a made-in-BC innovation on the tip of his finger.

It’s a tiny dot, not much bigger than a grain of salt. But inside are more than 10 million genetically engineered bacteria. They have been protected using a new method to shield them from the harsh conditions of gut inflammation.

This technology, pioneered in British Columbia, represents a potential leap forward in treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a condition that severely impacts the quality of life of millions worldwide.

Probiotics – beneficial bacteria that can deliver therapeutic effects to the gut – struggle to survive in inflamed environments. This limits their effectiveness as an IBD treatment. To address this issue, Melius developed two innovative technologies:

BioPersist: created by a genetic modification introduced into common probiotic bacteria to enhance survival in gut inflammation
Encapsulation: a tiny delivery capsule engineered to release BioPersist only when exposed to the targeted site in the intestines

The result is a more effective, targeted treatment with potential benefits for both humans and animals.

The technology builds on 15 years of research into the gut microbiome led by Melius’ Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Deanna Gibson. Working out of her lab at the University of British Columbia Okanagan, where she is also a professor, Gibson realized the potential of targeted probiotics as a therapeutic.

Deanna Gibson

Dr. Deanna Gibson

Health Research BC supported Dr. Deanna Gibson with a 2007 Research Trainee Award and a 2019 Innovation to Commercialization Award.

The turning point came in 2019 with an Innovation to Commercialization (I2C) award from Michael Smith Health Research BC. The award enabled Gibson to secure patent protection and advance testing – first in mouse models and later in pigs. These successful trials showed the potential of BioPersist as a treatment for human patients.

“I can say with certainty that none of this would have happened without the support of the Health Research BC I2C award,” says Gibson.

In 2023, Gibson and Emlyn co-founded Melius MicroBiomics to bring the innovative microbial medicines to market. With $8 million in investment to date and another US$10 million actively being sought, Melius is leading the way in developing a regional biotechnology hub in BC’s Interior. The company currently employs 8 PhDs and is pushing toward commercialization both in human and animal therapeutics.

“Building a biotech company here means contributing to the region’s economic development and establishing a new area of expertise in Kelowna,” Gibson says. “We’re excited to be part of that growth.”

What started with a tiny innovation could soon deliver major benefits to patients and position BC’s Interior as a leader in biotech.