Vedanta Biosciences to Present at Digestive Disease Week 2026

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 5, 2026 – Vedanta Biosciences, a late clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing microbiome-based oral therapies for gastrointestinal diseases, today announced the details of three poster presentations on VE202, a defined bacterial consortium that was investigated as a potential treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC), at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2026, being held in Chicago, IL, on May 2-5.

Patients with UC have an altered gut microbiome community, characterized by expansion of pro-inflammatory species, reduced microbial diversity, and diminished short-chain fatty acid production. VE202 is a live biotherapeutic product (LBP) — a defined bacterial consortium of 16 nonpathogenic, nontoxigenic Clostridia strains, which are associated with healthy human microbiomes, promotion of colonic regulatory T cells, and production of immunoregulatory and other beneficial metabolites.

Poster Presentations:

Title: Efficacy and Safety of a Defined Bacterial Consortium, VE202, in Adults with Mild to Moderate Ulcerative Colitis (UC): Week 8 Results from the Phase 2 COLLECTiVE202 Study

  • Presenter: Jordan Axelrad, MD, MPH, NYU Grossman School of Medicine
  • Session Type / Title: Abstract Poster, Gut Microbial Treatments for IBD
  • Session Date/Time: May 5th from 12:30 to 1:30 PM CDT
  • Background: In this global, double-blind Phase 2 clinical trial, the safety, efficacy, and microbiome community changes of VE202 versus placebo (PBO) were evaluated in patients with mild to moderate UC.
  • Results: At Week 8, endoscopic response was not different between groups (38.6% VE202 vs 36.8% PBO, p= 0.83). Rates of clinical remission were also not different (15.8% VE202 vs 19.3% PBO, p=0.31). Similar trends were observed across the other efficacy endpoints. The proportion of patients with treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), almost all mild or moderate, was lower in the VE202 group (36.8%) than in the PBO group (47.4%).
  • Conclusion: VE202 did not meet any of its Week 8 efficacy endpoints in patients with mild to moderate active UC. VE202 had a favorable safety profile.

Title: A Defined Bacterial Consortium, VE202, Colonized Patients with Ulcerative Colitis (UC): Results of a Phase 2 Study

  • Presenter: Rajita Menon, PhD
  • Session Type / Title: Abstract Poster, Gut Microbial Treatments for IBD
  • Session Date/Time: May 5th from 12:30 to 1:30 PM CDT
  • Background: In the VE202 Phase 2 trial, stool was collected to assess detection and relative abundance (RA) of VE202 strains.
  • Results: VE202 strains colonized most VE202 recipients, with total RA of up to 51%. RA peaked on Day 7. A median of 11 strains was detected across all VE202-dosed subjects. The difference in colonization levels between VE202 responders and non-responders was not statistically significant. Increased inflammation at baseline, including baseline stool frequency and calprotectin levels, was associated with lower VE202 colonization.
  • Conclusion: VE202 strains colonized individually and collectively through Week 8, but strain colonization was not associated with clinical efficacy.

Title: Changes in Fecal Calprotectin and Enterobacteriaceae Abundance in Response to a Defined Bacterial Consortium, VE202, in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis (UC)

  • Presenter: Rajita Menon, PhD
  • Session Type / Title: Abstract Poster, Gut Microbial Treatments for IBD
  • Session Date/Time: May 5th from 12:30 to 1:30 PM CDT
  • Background: In the VE202 Phase 2 study, stool was collected for exploratory microbiome and immune biomarkers.
  • Results: Vancomycin pretreatment led to a reduction in fecal inflammatory markers in both treatment groups. Responders in the VE202 group had a greater reduction in both fecal calprotectin and Enterobacteriaceae RA compared with non-responders; these features did not differentiate response in the PBO group.
  • Conclusion: VE202 strains were associated with reductions in fecal calprotectin and Enterobacteriaceae RA, but these changes were not associated with clinical efficacy.

About Vedanta Biosciences

Vedanta Biosciences  is a late clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a new category of microbiome-based oral therapies for gastrointestinal diseases. Vedanta’s lead asset, VE303, is currently being evaluated in the global Phase 3 RESTORATiVE303 registrational study for the prevention of recurrent C. difficile infection.

Contacts

Media
Ten Bridge Communications
[email protected]

Investors

Chris Brinzey
ICR Healthcare
[email protected]