Company Description
Seres Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: MCRB) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company in the pharmaceutical preparation manufacturing sector. According to the company, it is focused on improving outcomes in medically vulnerable patient populations through novel live biotherapeutics, sometimes also described as microbiome therapeutics or live biotherapeutic products (LBPs). Seres applies its microbiome therapeutics platform to develop oral biological drugs that are designed to modulate the gastrointestinal microbiome and restore disease-relevant functions.
The company has described itself as a live biotherapeutics company and a microbiome therapeutics platform company. Its work centers on rationally designed consortia of bacteria formulated as oral therapeutics. These candidates are intended to target specific microbiome functions that are linked to serious conditions in patients who are at high risk of complications, including infections and inflammatory or immune-mediated diseases.
Focus on medically vulnerable populations
Seres states that it is focused on medically vulnerable populations, such as adults undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HSCT) for hematologic malignancies and other high-risk groups. The company reports that its lead investigational program, SER-155, is an oral live biotherapeutic designed to decolonize gastrointestinal pathogens, improve epithelial barrier integrity, and induce immune homeostasis. The goal is to prevent bacterial bloodstream infections (BSIs), including those associated with antimicrobial resistance, and other pathogen-associated negative clinical outcomes in allo-HSCT patients.
Seres has disclosed that SER-155 has been evaluated in a randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 1b study in adults undergoing allo-HSCT. In that study, SER-155 demonstrated a significant reduction in bacterial bloodstream infections and systemic antibiotic exposure, as well as a lower incidence of febrile neutropenia, compared with placebo. Based on these data, the company reports that SER-155 has received Breakthrough Therapy designation for the reduction of bloodstream infections in adults undergoing allo-HSCT and Fast Track designation for reducing the risk of infection and graft-versus-host disease in adults undergoing allo-HSCT.
Pipeline and development strategy
Seres describes SER-155 as its lead investigational candidate and has communicated plans for a Phase 2 study in adults undergoing allo-HSCT for hematologic malignancies. Company disclosures indicate that this planned Phase 2 trial is designed as a well-powered, placebo-controlled study with an adaptive design and an interim analysis, with the primary endpoint focused on prevention of bloodstream infections through a defined period after transplant. Seres has also reported an ongoing investigator-sponsored trial evaluating SER-155 in immune checkpoint inhibitor–related enterocolitis (irEC), reflecting interest in broader inflammatory and immune-mediated indications.
Beyond allo-HSCT, the company states that it intends to evaluate SER-155 and other cultivated live biotherapeutic candidates in additional medically vulnerable populations, including autologous-HSCT patients, cancer patients with neutropenia, CAR-T recipients, individuals with chronic liver disease, solid organ transplant recipients, and patients in intensive care unit and long-term acute care settings. Seres also notes exploratory work and partnership discussions in inflammatory and immune diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
Seres emphasizes that SER-155 and its other pipeline programs are manufactured from standard clonal cell banks via cultivation, in contrast to the donor-sourced production process used for its earlier product VOWST™. This cultivated approach is presented by the company as a way to generate consistent, well-characterized live biotherapeutic products that target multiple disease-relevant pathways.
VOWST™ and microbiome therapeutic heritage
Seres reports that it led the development and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of VOWST™, described as the first FDA-approved orally administered microbiome therapeutic and the first-ever oral microbiome biotherapeutic licensed by the FDA. VOWST is characterized as a rationally selected consortia of bacteria in oral capsules with specific functional pharmacological properties, developed to prevent recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI). The company notes that VOWST was evaluated in Phase 3 trials (ECOSPOR III and IV) and that mechanistic and clinical data have been published in peer-reviewed journals.
According to Seres, VOWST received FDA approval in April 2023 for the prevention of recurrent C. difficile infection and was subsequently sold to Nestlé Health Science in September 2024. Following this transaction, Seres has classified historical operating results for the VOWST business as discontinued operations in its financial reporting and provides certain manufacturing services to Nestlé under a Transition Services Agreement. The company’s current focus, as described in its communications, is on SER-155 and a broader portfolio of cultivated live biotherapeutics rather than on commercializing VOWST itself.
MbTx® platform and mechanism-focused research
Seres highlights its MbTx® platform, which it describes as providing high-resolution assessment of drug pharmacology and functional mechanism of action for live biotherapeutics. Data generated using this platform have been used to characterize the mechanisms of VOWST and to support the preclinical development of SER-155. Published analyses cited by the company show that oral microbiome therapeutics can alter intestinal microbiome composition and microbe-associated metabolites, including bile acids and fatty acids, in ways that are consistent with the intended therapeutic mechanisms.
The company links these mechanistic insights to its broader strategy of targeting specific microbiome functions that are associated with serious diseases, including conditions that may not be effectively addressed by other drug modalities. Exploratory biomarker data presented at scientific meetings have been described by Seres as supporting the intended mechanisms of SER-155 and suggesting potential applications in inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases.
Regulatory status and exchange listing
Seres Therapeutics, Inc. is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and its common stock trades on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (Nasdaq Global Select Market) under the symbol MCRB, as indicated in multiple Form 8-K filings. These filings also confirm that the company continues to provide periodic financial results and operational updates, and that it posts corporate presentations in the investors and news section of its website.
In addition to program-specific regulatory designations, the company has disclosed interactions with the FDA regarding the design of its planned Phase 2 study of SER-155, including feedback on study size, primary endpoint, and interim analysis plans. Seres has also reported receiving non-dilutive support, such as grants from Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X), to advance the development of SER-155, as well as research support from organizations such as the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation for biomarker work in ulcerative colitis.
Corporate and financial considerations
Seres has communicated that it is taking actions to manage its operating costs and cash runway, including workforce reductions and other cost-reduction measures, and that it is engaged in discussions regarding potential partnerships, out-licensing arrangements, mergers, or other structures intended to secure capital and resources to advance SER-155 and additional live biotherapeutic candidates. The company has also reported leadership changes, including the appointment of co-Chief Executive Officers and related transition and compensation arrangements, as disclosed in its Form 8-K filings.
According to recent disclosures, Seres expects its cash resources, together with obligations related to the VOWST transaction and current operating plans, to fund operations into a specified future period. The company notes that these expectations are subject to risks and uncertainties, and that it may not fully realize anticipated cost savings or benefits from its strategic actions.
Position within microbiome therapeutics
Based on its own statements, Seres Therapeutics positions itself as a company that has moved live biotherapeutics from early scientific concepts to FDA-approved therapy and is now concentrating on the next generation of cultivated live biotherapeutics. Its focus on microbiome-driven mechanisms, medically vulnerable populations such as allo-HSCT recipients, and regulatory designations for SER-155 are central themes in its public communications and regulatory filings.
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Short Interest History
Short interest in Seres Therapeutics (MCRB) currently stands at 900.1 thousand shares, down 9.1% from the previous reporting period, representing 11.4% of the float. Over the past 12 months, short interest has decreased by 94.8%. This moderate level of short interest indicates notable bearish positioning. With 13.2 days to cover, it would take significant time for short sellers to close their positions based on average trading volume.
Days to Cover History
Days to cover for Seres Therapeutics (MCRB) currently stands at 13.2 days, up 21.8% from the previous period. This elevated days-to-cover ratio indicates it would take over two weeks of average trading volume for short sellers to exit their positions, suggesting potential for a short squeeze if positive news emerges. The days to cover has decreased 45.4% over the past year, suggesting improved liquidity for short covering. The ratio has shown significant volatility over the period, ranging from 1.6 to 24.2 days.