In its first foray into the microbiome space, Gilead has agreed to partner with Second Genome to identify biomarkers and potential new drug targets in inflammation, fibrosis and other diseases. Under the four-year deal, Gilead gains access to Second Genome’s Microbiome Analytics Platform™ in exchange for US$38 M upfront. The deal comes as welcome news for Second Genome given that development of its previous Phase II asset was terminated in August 2019 amid safety concerns.