GLASGOW, Scotland, April 29, 2026
EnteroBiotix Limited has announced the successful completion of a £19 million ($25 million) financing round to advance its lead investigational therapy EBX-102-02 into Phase 2b clinical development for Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation (IBS-C). The funding will support the company’s large-scale RISE trial, one of the largest interventional clinical studies ever conducted for a full-spectrum microbiome therapeutic, reinforcing growing industry confidence in microbiome-based treatments for gastrointestinal diseases.
Major Investment Supports Next-Generation Microbiome Therapy
The financing round was led by Thairm Bio and the Scottish National Investment Bank, with participation from both new and existing investors. The investment highlights strong confidence in EBX-102-02, a next-generation orally delivered full-spectrum microbiome therapeutic designed to restore gut microbial balance and potentially address the root cause of IBS-C rather than only managing symptoms.
Unlike conventional IBS therapies that primarily focus on symptom relief, EBX-102-02 is being developed as a potential first disease-modifying treatment for IBS-C. This positions the therapy as a major innovation in a disease area where unmet medical need has remained significant for decades. IBS-C affects an estimated more than 10 million people across the USA and Europe, creating substantial commercial and clinical opportunity.
Phase 2b RISE Trial Designed for Large-Scale Validation
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Following encouraging results from the earlier Phase 2a TrIuMPH trial, EnteroBiotix is now launching the Phase 2b RISE trial — short for Restoring Intestinal Symbiosis for Efficacy in IBS. The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled interventional study will enroll approximately 300 patients with moderate-to-severe IBS-C across multiple clinical sites in the United Kingdom.
This study is expected to become the largest full-spectrum microbiome therapeutic trial ever conducted in IBS, reflecting both the ambition of the development program and the increasing scientific validation of the gut microbiome as a critical therapeutic target. First patient dosing is expected in Q2 2026, with topline efficacy data anticipated in H2 2027.
The goal of the RISE trial is to confirm the strong efficacy signals observed in the TrIuMPH study, where EBX-102-02 demonstrated positive outcomes over placebo across multiple clinical endpoints in patients with IBS involving constipation and diarrhoea.
Expanding a High-Value Gastrointestinal Pipeline
The RISE study represents the cornerstone of EnteroBiotix’s broader strategy to build a differentiated pipeline targeting high-value gastrointestinal diseases with significant unmet medical need. By focusing on microbiome restoration rather than conventional symptom suppression, the company is positioning itself at the forefront of precision microbiome therapeutics.
CEO Dr. James McIlroy emphasized that the company aims to establish EBX-102-02 as the first true disease-modifying therapy for IBS-C, potentially transforming treatment standards for millions of patients who continue to struggle with long-term disease burden and limited effective options.
With strong investor backing, positive mid-stage clinical data, and one of the largest microbiome trials in the field, EnteroBiotix is emerging as a major player in next-generation gut health therapeutics, advancing a promising new path for IBS treatment innovation.
Source: EnteroBiotix press release
