What in case your intestine may let you know easy methods to keep forward of persistent illnesses?
That query lies on the coronary heart of , based in 2014 by Debojyoti Dhar and Kumar Sankaran, which makes use of intestine microbiome knowledge to personalise diet and shift healthcare from remedy to prevention.
By analysing the bacterial ecosystem contained in the human gastrointestinal system, the startup designs food plan plans and dietary supplements tailor-made to a person’s distinctive microbial make-up.
Microbiome, the huge neighborhood of microorganisms residing within the human physique, has been a topic of scientific analysis for many years. Nonetheless, in India, its utility in client healthcare has remained largely unexplored. Diagnostics had been primarily centered on figuring out illnesses after signs appeared, with little emphasis on early well being danger detection or personalised interventions.
Dhar, who beforehand labored in drug discovery and oncology analysis, noticed a possibility to develop microbiome-based testing for India’s rising preventive healthcare market.
With a PhD from IISc Bengaluru, Dhar believed microbiome-based testing may transfer past laboratories and into on a regular basis well being selections.
He teamed up with Sankaran, a biotechnologist with over 20 years of expertise in methods biology, who had earlier co-founded Omics Options India and labored extensively with organic knowledge platforms. The 2 are joined by Prabhath Manjappa Kamath, co-founder and director.
The product suite and the way it works
Leucine Wealthy Bio’s flagship providing, BugSpeaks, is a intestine microbiome take a look at that analyses bacterial range to evaluate digestive and metabolic well being. Lately, the startup expanded its portfolio to incorporate a pores and skin microbiome take a look at, with oral and vaginal checks anticipated to roll out quickly.
It additionally operates RychBiome, a complement model providing microbiome-informed merchandise. Presently, it’s growing Faecal Microbiota Transplant (FMT) providers, which contain transferring wholesome intestine micro organism from a donor to revive microbial stability in sufferers with extreme intestine issues.
Leucine Wealthy Bio has stored the testing course of easy. Clients order a take a look at on-line and obtain a stool assortment package at residence for intestine testing. By April 2026, pores and skin, oral, and vaginal checks will even be out there.
It sends the samples from India and overseas to its Bengaluru laboratory, the place over 40 scientists extract and analyse microbial DNA to establish which microbes are current and in what proportions. “As a rule of thumb, decrease microbial range is commonly linked to poorer intestine well being,” Sankaran says.
The evaluation makes use of next-generation sequencing (NGS), the identical know-how utilized in human genome research. “We extract DNA from the pattern, and sequencing machines learn combos of 4 nucleotides: A, T, G, and C. These patterns inform us which micro organism, viruses, or fungi are current,” Dhar explains.
The startup interprets this uncooked knowledge into well being insights by combining its personal knowledge, world analysis, and outcomes from 1000’s of microbiome checks.
These insights feed into Leucine Wealthy Bio’s diet and complement suggestions. Below the RychBiome model, it gives a microbiome-based pores and skin cream and personalised probiotic formulations primarily based on particular person take a look at outcomes.
Contained in the evaluation
The BugSpeaks report assigns customers a Wealthy Index Rating, a composite measure primarily based on the presence and stability of key intestine microbes. Larger scores point out higher intestine well being. The report additionally maps vitamin synthesis, short-chain fatty acid manufacturing, and antibiotic resistance patterns.
On the core of the report is a three-month food plan plan. “Not like genomic checks, the place you can’t change your genes, the microbiome is modifiable, and the easiest way to do that is thru meals,” Dhar says.
The suggestions spotlight helpful micro organism which are missing and counsel meals to advertise their development, whereas figuring out probably dangerous microbes that may be decreased by way of dietary adjustments.
The founders say such interventions could assist reduce signs related to persistent illnesses like Kind 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver illness (NAFLD), and hypertension.
Priced at Rs 10,000, the take a look at is aimed toward folks over 40 years, managing lifestyle-related well being points, and youthful customers fascinated with preventive wellness and longevity.
Leucine Wealthy Bio generates income by way of a number of channels: direct-to-consumer gross sales by way of its web site; B2B partnerships with diagnostic chains, hospitals, and wellness centres; and product growth collaborations with FMCG firms, nutraceutical manufacturers, and meals producers, who use microbiome insights to refine choices.
“Lately, we additionally performed pores and skin microbiome testing for Katrina Kaif,” Sankaran says.
The startup has additionally been increasing past India by way of world partnerships, together with with Cognoa Worldwide within the Philippines, Precision Diagnósticos in Brazil, and Medsol Diagnostics within the UAE. It has arrange Leucine Wealthy Bio Center East FZCO in Dubai to serve the GCC and MENA areas.
The worldwide push coincides with speedy development within the sector. Based on Grand View Analysis, the worldwide microbiome evaluation market, valued at $1.27 billion in 2024, is projected to succeed in $2.26 billion by 2030.
On this evolving area, Leucine Wealthy Bio operates alongside firms like Viome Life Sciences, Microba, and Synlogic Therapeutics.
Medical trials and credentials
Leucine Wealthy Bio backs its claims with medical knowledge. In a registered medical trial involving sufferers with Kind 2 diabetes, one group adopted BugSpeaks dietary suggestions for 3 months whereas persevering with drugs. This group confirmed a 20% discount in HbA1c ranges—a key marker of long-term blood glucose management—together with decreases in irritation markers and blood stress. The findings had been revealed in the journal PRJ in 2024.
The startup is collaborating with AIIMS Raipur on a medical trial involving most cancers sufferers, analyzing whether or not microbiome-based diet can enhance high quality of life throughout chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Full outcomes from the examine are anticipated by mid-2026.
“At present, these checks are positioned as a part of the wellness portfolio, not as diagnostic instruments, although we’re working towards broader medical acceptance,” Dhar says.
The take a look at is backed by ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 17025:2017 certifications, together with NABH and NABL accreditations for intestine microbiome testing. It has filed patents for its intestine microbial profiling technique and the Wealthy Index well being marker. It has analysed over 20,000 samples so far, constructing a proprietary database that features 2,000 Indian and 10,000 world microbiome profiles.
What’s subsequent?
The startup has been largely bootstrapped, with angel and HNI investments raised in 2017. “As a deeptech, deep-science firm, we wished to first validate the know-how and obtain scale earlier than evaluating the necessity for institutional funding,” Sankaran says.
Within the quick time period, Leucine Wealthy Bio is concentrated on increasing its footprint throughout Asian markets. The longer-term imaginative and prescient is extra formidable. “We purpose to be the world’s main microbiome-focused firm, throughout testing, client merchandise, and drug discovery,” Sankaran says.
With drug discovery rising as a key frontier, the founders imagine the microbiome holds untapped potential for growing novel therapies, particularly as microbial imbalance, or dysbiosis, is more and more linked to many persistent circumstances.
