Ambrosia: Evaluating the Effects of a Food-As-Medicine Platform on Gut Microbiome Composition and Metabolism

The objective of this study is to test whether dietary behavior modification impacts diet quality and stool microbiome composition and metabolism using microbial whole genome sequencing, targeted metabolomics, and immune profiling.

400 adults 18-64 years old at high risk for CRC (based on past colonoscopy findings or lifestyle risk factors) will be assigned to one of two cohorts, with approximately 200 participants in each.

• Cohort 1 will serve as the control group without any directed dietary modifications.
• Cohort 2 participants will receive medical nutrition therapy (MNT) via 5 Telenutrition (TN) visits with a registered dietitian (RD), utilizing the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Nutrition Care Process.

Stool samples will be obtained for each subject at baseline and end of study. Whole genome sequencing, metabolite analysis, and immune profiling will be performed on the samples. Demographic data, general health information, diet and lifestyle information will be collected from the subjects (all self-reported). When applicable, notes from telenutrition appointments will also be collected. Diet information will be collected using the Picture Your Plate(TM) validated food questionnaire.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Impact of Dietary Chages Directed by Medical Nutrition Therapy on Gut Microbiome Composition
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Nutrition Counseling

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 546
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • California
    • San Diego, California, United States, 92121
      • Persephone Biosciences, Inc.

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Adults 18 to 64 years old at the time of enrollment at high risk for colorectal cancer, defined as follows:

   1. EITHER a personal history of colorectal cancer, advanced adenoma, or 3 or more non-advanced adenomas in a single screening

   2. OR TWO of the following criteria:

      • One or more first-degree relatives with a history of colorectal cancer
      • Body mass index above 30 (Persephone will calculate given height and weight
      • Have smoked an average of 5 or more cigarettes (1/4 pack) per day for a continuous period of 10 years or more.
2. Able to provide stool samples at study start and after approximately 5 months
3. Willing and able to undergo virtual Medical Nutrition Therapy based on cohort assignment
4. Willing to complete online questionnaires concerning diet and lifestyle, in English
5. Competency in spoken and written English
6. Can provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Subjects with known HIV, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C
2. Known Familial Adenomatous Polyposis or Lynch Syndrome (aka Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colorectal Cancer or HNPCC) diagnosis
3. A history of Crohn's Disease, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, or chronic colitis.
4. Active cancer in the past 2 years, or currently undergoing any form of cancer therapy.
5. Confirmed case of COVID-19 or influenza within one month prior to enrollment
6. Oral or systemic antibiotic or probiotic use, or a known GI infection, within 3 months prior to enrollment
7. Engaged in a nutritional or dietary intervention in the past 3 months.
8. Women who are pregnant or plan to become pregnant in the next 6 months, or currently nursing.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: No Directed Dietary Intervention; Control group without any directed dietary modifications
Experimental: Medical Nutrition Therapy	Behavioral: Nutrition Counseling; Dietitian-led nutrition coaching via 5 Telenutrition visits, utilizing the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Nutrition Care Process.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Nutrition Counseling Microbiome Impact	Measure microbiome composition before and after 5 telenutrition visits by whole genome sequencing, and determine change in microbial composition as indicated by gUnifrac distance between the two datapoints.	4 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Persephone Biosciences
• Collaborators: Kroger Health
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Charles Baum, MD, Independent

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• Link to sign up for study

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 1, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 15, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): March 15, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 13, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 18, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): October 19, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 31, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 28, 2025
• Last Verified: July 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: PB-2023-01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No