TuBiomics

There is a growing need to limit chemical use and embrace biological solutions in agricultural science. Understanding the soil rhizosphere, a region rich in biological and biochemical interactions, is central to this mission. Here, plants use their own biochemical processes to regulate a complex network of microbial assistance. At the heart of this movement is TuBiomics, a pioneering company that redefines the utility of the biochemistries circulating in the rhizosphere. The firm develops innovative products from microbial metabolites and natural chemistries to combat weeds, stimulate plant growth, and suppress soil-borne diseases that have an economic impact on agriculture.

TuBiomics stands out with its unique approach. The company focuses on unravelling the complexity of the metabolome within microbial communities and using those insights to develop sustainable natural chemistry based products. This idea is based on the understanding that plants are not just passive elements in their environment but active participants, shaping it through their unique biochemistry. The company capitalizes on this dynamic, focusing on the functional genes of microbial communities and the biochemistry they produce, rather than the microbes themselves. This approach has positioned TuBiomics as a leader in the field of biochemistry product development.

Founded in 2017 in Reno, Nevada, TuBiomics has created a proprietary discovery platform that learns from the complexity of the soil microbiome. This novel platform stimulates microbial communities, encouraging them to produce compounds favorable to plant and soil health. These dynamics are then analyzed with a proprietary bioinformatics platform. This integration not only sets a new benchmark in sustainable crop protection but also integrates agricultural advancement with environmental systems stewardship.

Functional Genes over Microbial Communities

TuBiomics believes that the future of sustainable agriculture lies in the harmonious integration of biochemistry and biology. This is not just a theoretical stance; it is the foundation of their agricultural solutions. Rather than focusing only on the specific types of microbes, the company emphasizes the significance of the functional genes within microbial communities, their associated metabolic networks and the biochemistry that is distributed throughout the rhizosphere. This approach involves understanding the collective genetic functions of microbial communities collaborating in the plant's root zone, with a focus on complementary biomechanisms.

“In our perspective, it's the functional genes of microbes that should take center stage, with greater significance than the mere composition of microbes within the roots,” says Brian Speicher, CEO of TuBiomics. “The natural biochemistry that is produced by the functional genes is the motivating force that gets things done.”

The company’s approach is more than just understanding soil ecosystems; it is also about developing useful plant and soil health products that perform in harmony with them. Employing a systems-level perspective, TuBiomics has developed a biochemical discovery process that mimics the evolutionary dynamics of the soil microbiome. This innovative technique amplifies the biosynthetic capabilities of microbial communities, resulting in pools of biochemistry that are used to develop novel solutions for age-old agricultural dilemmas.

TuBiomics challenges the traditional assumptions about the superiority of synthetic chemistry over natural product biochemistry in agriculture. Its extensive research underlines a critical insight—the effectiveness of natural biochemistry assemblies, acting in synergy, is comparable and sometimes surpasses that of synthetically produced molecules. By embracing the cooperative nature of natural biochemistries, the firm advocates for the use of its various mixtures, boosting agricultural efficacy through synergistic interactions.

This orchestrated blend of natural compounds is a scientific achievement—a testament to the firm’s commitment to sustainable and effective agricultural practices. Whether it combats fungal pathogens, develops more efficient herbicides, or stimulates plant growth, TuBiomics harnesses the power of these natural compounds to their complete potential.

Two Platforms, One Aim

TuBiomics uses two complementary research and development (R&D) platforms to study a microbiome’s genomic function and resulting biochemistry. While one platform stimulates microbial communities to produce bioactive chemicals through a cell bath process, the other uses cloud computing to analyze the microbial communities’ industrial potential by processing multi-omics data from the pools.

Speicher highlights the fact that natural biochemistry is frequently considered less robust than synthetic molecules. TuBiomics challenges this perception, proposing that natural biochemistry may not be properly utilized for its intended purposes. In intricate ecosystems where functional genes and metabolic networks collaborate, diverse biochemicals act as mechanistic complements or assemblies for specific purposes.

The main goal of integrating these two platforms is to identify and describe the systems level functionality of microbial communities, leading to the diversity of biochemical mixtures. TuBiomics follows a more coherent R&D strategy that aligns with the complex functions of microbial ecosystems. The resulting mixtures of biochemical structures and related mechanisms exhibit significant bioactivity against fungal pathogens, act as biostimulants, and function as herbicides. Speicher compares this discovery process to assembling the gears of a customized engine, representing its approach’s intricate coordination of elements.

Unintended Herbicide Discovery: TBH-003 Trials and Insights

TuBiomics' journey into herbicide development was not part of its initial plan, but a serendipitous observation changed the course. While initially screening biochemistries for fungal pathogen suppression in soil, the team unintentionally discovered an effective biochemistry mixture that has significant herbicidal activity. Unexpected effects on plant seedlings in control pots led to the identification of potential product candidates through exploratory studies. Among these candidates, a four-ingredient mixture named TBH-003 emerged as a promising pre and post emergent, non-selective herbicide suitable for organic farming.

The firm is now engaged in herbicide efficacy trials that focus on acute plant damage and re-growth assessment. This trial strategy aims to balance the contact burn down effect with the need to prevent the re-emergence of weed species. Encouraging preliminary results have spurred the team's optimism, prompting further optimization possibilities for the mixture. A recently concluded head-to head comparison trial against two established organic herbicides has demonstrated a TBH-003 treatment effect that is 3 times greater than the marketed comparator products.

In anticipation of global opportunities in organic production, TuBiomics is beginning a Series A fund raise and is actively seeks strategic commercial partnerships. Its vision goes beyond organic farming, with hopes of expanding into conventional agricultural use, non-agricultural vegetation management, and the home and garden market. The proactive pursuit of collaborations demonstrates TuBiomics' dedication to increasing its herbicide product’s potential and fostering agricultural growth, health, and innovation.

Nurturing Growth, Health, and Innovation in Agriculture

Brian Speicher’s perspective and vision for the company are deeply rooted in his extensive personal experience. Before launching TuBiomics, he dedicated over 20 years to human drug discovery, development, and commercialization. His academic journey, marked by a graduate degree in quantitative methods from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from the Sloan School of Management at MIT, underscores his commitment to excellence.

This rich tapestry of experiences defined Speicher's leadership approach, contributing to TuBiomics' position as a trailblazer in the agricultural industry. Behind the lead herbicide product, the company is nurturing biochemistry mixtures that suppress soil borne fungal disease such as Pythium and Fusarium, as well as mixtures that serve as plant biostimulants. Lastly, the team of computational biologists continue to collaborate in the evolution of the TuBiomics proprietary bioinformatics platform, peering as deeply into soil functionality as possible and envisioning new product categories.

Speicher makes reference to new product categories, as the topic is top of mind for him and TuBiomics. “In better understanding soil functionality, and specifically the dynamic soil processes that support soil and plant health, new windows of opportunity begin to open,” Speicher said. “With our two-sided R&D platform, we can begin to envision new product categories that beneficially support key metabolic processes and encourage durable improvements in soil productivity. We believe this will benefit the end-users in the field because for growers, it is and always has been, soil as a service.”