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By Agroempresario.com
In a sector long dominated by strain-led development, microbiome health startup Verb Biotics is flipping the probiotic model on its head. Instead of starting with a probiotic strain and reverse-engineering health benefits, CEO Todd Beckman says the company follows a pharma-inspired path: begin with a health issue, understand its biological mechanism, then engineer precision biotic solutions tailored to measurable outcomes.
“We’re function-first, and not tied to any single organism,” says Beckman. “Our model is more like a pharma model, where we begin with a health indication, determine a mechanism, and develop biotics to address that.”
Founded in 2021 as a spin-out from Ginkgo Bioworks, Verb Biotics raised $30 million in seed funding from Viking Global Investors and Cascade Investment. The San Francisco-based firm aims to fill gaps in the food and supplements space with non-GMO and synthetic biotics that address digestive health, mood, stress, sleep, and even pet wellness.
Verb Biotics’ first market-ready product is Keystone Postbiotic, a shelf-stable, heat-deactivated biotic fermented on oats. It targets gut barrier integrity and the growth of keystone bacteria, which are crucial for maintaining a resilient microbiome. Since Keystone doesn’t require refrigeration, it can be used across product formats—from gummies to baked goods to functional drinks.
“Digestive health is top of mind for consumers, but live probiotics are hard to incorporate into mainstream foods,” Beckman notes. “Keystone was designed to solve that.”
At a micro-dose of 300 mg, Keystone has shown reduced symptoms of bloating and gas, without compromising taste, texture, or stability of food applications. Pre-clinical data show immune and epithelial benefits, while an ongoing human trial will deliver results by end of July.
The company’s second major product is GABA Probiotic LP815, a strain of Lactiplantibacillus that produces Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)—a neurotransmitter known to regulate mood, stress, and sleep cycles.
Unlike traditional GABA supplements, which often suffer from short half-lives, LP815 provides sustained GABA release in the gut. “We started screening naturally occurring strains and, through directed evolution, developed LP815, which produces three times more GABA than the baseline,” Beckman explains.
The probiotic not only survives stomach acid but also promotes GABA production in the gut microbiota—with GABA detectable in feces weeks after ingestion.
Results from human clinical trials focused on stress and sleep have shown strong efficacy, particularly for irritability and sleep quality. The company used both Oura ring data and subjective questionnaires to capture the impact. In parallel, a dog study measuring bark collar data and owner surveys showed improvements in anxiety, aggression, and sleep, suggesting LP815’s potential for companion animal applications.
Both Keystone and LP815 are non-GMO, but Verb Biotics is also developing genetically modified strains. “We’re seeing more openness from CPG companies and consumers toward engineered biotics, as long as efficacy and safety are clear,” Beckman reveals.
Consumer surveys conducted by Verb show that health benefits outweigh concerns over genetic modification, a perspective that aligns with evolving trends in food tech and personalized nutrition.
“We’re actively exploring synthetic biology routes—writing new metabolic pathways into microbes to produce highly targeted molecules,” he adds.
Financially, Verb Biotics remains in a strong position. “We still have significant dry powder,” says Beckman, hinting that while additional fundraising is an option for pipeline acceleration, the company is not in urgent need of operational capital.
Collaborations with large CPG brands are also advancing. "Early on, there was hesitation around synthetic biology, but now these companies are asking us if we can do GM. That shift is telling."
As the company continues to push into gut-brain axis innovation, its R&D roadmap includes solutions for healthy aging, sports recovery, joint health, muscle maintenance, and women’s health—particularly menopause.
Beckman is clear: “We’re just scratching the surface of what’s possible. Our aim is to develop functional ingredients with clinically validated health outcomes, customizable for both human and pet health markets.”
To contextualize Verb Biotics’ work, here’s a breakdown of the key terms:
Postbiotics: Non-living microbial products or metabolites that confer health advantages (ISAPP).
