In addition to smoke and flames, firefighters also face invisible chemicals such as PFAS. Cambiotics is developing microbiome-based solutions to reduce this chemical burden.
When a firefighter steps into a burning building, all his senses are heightened by the danger. The heat, the sound of buildings collapsing, the smell of smoke. These are dangers that training prepares you for. But a different kind of threat is woven into their very equipment. It’s a silent, invisible enemy that hangs on long after the fire goes out.
PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are chemicals valued for their resistance to heat, water, and oil. These are what make firefighting equipment effective in water repellency and antifoaming. But the same properties that make them so valuable also make them nearly indestructible. PFAS persist in soil, water, and most troublingly, in humans. These accumulate over time and lead to a variety of health concerns, including immunosuppression, hormonal disruption, and even increased cancer risk.
For firefighters, exposure is part of the job. All the training, all the firefighting, all the protective equipment adds to the invisible burden of pollution. It’s a battle they’ve never been a part of. The battle continues even after the flames are extinguished.
The threat hidden beyond the fire department
The PFAS challenge doesn’t end with the people wearing their turnout gear. These chemicals are found in our homes, food, and drinking water. They coat nonstick cookware, coat the linings and waterproof jackets of food packaging, and seep into groundwater through decades of industrial use. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, nearly everyone tested in the United States has detectable levels of PFAS in their blood. This is a solemn reminder that the story of eternal chemicals is not just one of occupational hazards. It’s a shared human story. Although firefighters may face the highest exposures, PFAS contamination is a global problem, impacting communities from small rural towns to dense urban centers. The question is not whether we have been exposed, but how we can alleviate the burden.
That’s where Cambiotics comes in. Not as a savior, but as a research-driven company working towards discovering new kinds of biological defenses.
Looking to the microbiome for answers
The human gut is home to trillions of microorganisms that collectively form one of the most complex ecosystems on Earth, the microbiome. It supports digestion, regulates immunity, and affects everything from metabolism to mood. Now, new research suggests it may also contain clues about how the body interacts with environmental toxins.
In 2024, Cambiotics was founded in Denmark with support from the Institute for Bio Innovation. This was to explore the innovative idea that certain gut bacteria may be able to bind to PFAS compounds during digestion, preventing their reabsorption and supporting their natural removal from the body.
It’s not a detox in the trendy sense. This is a carefully designed microbial intervention based on years of molecular biology and toxicology research. This concept was first tested through ground-breaking research at the MRC Toxicology Unit at the University of Cambridge. There, Dr Anna Lindell and Professor Kiran Patil demonstrated that certain gut bacteria can bioaccumulate PFAS in a controlled environment. The discovery, published in Nature Microbiology, breaks new ground in thinking about reducing internal chemical exposure.
From research to real-world impact
Based on its scientific foundation, Cambiotics has identified bacterial strains that can interact with PFAS molecules. Among the many tests, two stood out: Bacteroides strain 46-XY1 and Streptococcus strain 46-SL1. In laboratory models, both have shown promising ability to absorb and retain PFAS compounds in the intestinal environment.
The company’s first product, named 46&, is developed based on these discoveries. It is not designed as a treatment, but as a supplement that may help the body more effectively manage PFAS exposure. “We’re not claiming to erase exposure,” Dr. Lindell says. “Our goal is to support the body’s own ability to reduce exposure to toxic substances.” The product is designed to reduce the absorption of PFAS that is already in the bloodstream, as well as PFAS that enters from food and water. PFAS in the bloodstream naturally enter the intestines through the enterohepatic circulation. Most of these chemicals are reabsorbed again, but 46& is designed to pre-bind to PFAS and be excreted through feces.
Cambiotics plans to begin its first human clinical trial in 2026, with 46& expected to launch later that year. While the science continues to advance, the company is also working with fire protection associations and occupational health experts to explore early access programs for those most at risk. This approach is practical. Test rigorously and scale responsibly to ensure those who need it most benefit first.
measure the invisible
One of the challenges in addressing PFAS exposure is that exposure to PFAS is often not visible or felt until many years later. Unlike burns or smoke inhalation, PFAS buildup is undetectable and can only be measured through testing. To fill this gap, Cambiotics partnered with Quest Diagnostics in the US to integrate PFAS testing alongside probiotic interventions. This idea is simple but powerful. That means giving people a way to measure the burden of PFAS and the tools to address it.
For firefighters and other high-risk groups such as military personnel and industrial workers, this integration could be transformative. This shifts the narrative from passive exposure to proactive management, turning invisible risks into quantifiable actions.
shared responsibility
Although the company is initially focused on those most directly exposed, Cambiotics’ broader message is one of collective responsibility. PFAS contamination is a systemic problem that cannot be solved by individuals alone. Regulatory efforts to phase out PFAS are underway in many countries, but chemical substitution and legacy contamination will not solve the problem overnight.
Microbiome-based solutions like those being developed by Cambiotics are not a substitute for environmental reform. They are complementary. These provide a way for individuals to address their health while broader policy and industry changes take shape. In this sense, Cambiotics is not just developing products. It will help redefine what personal resilience to pollution looks like in the 21st century.
Beyond PFAS: The future of microbiome innovation
Cambiotics research may start with PFAS, but its implications extend further. The ability of the microbiome to interact with toxins suggests new pathways to deal with other persistent pollutants, heavy metals, plasticizers, and even microplastics.
“The microbiome is one of nature’s most adaptive systems,” says Professor Patil. “Understanding and guiding our interactions with pollutants may open the door to protecting our health in unprecedented ways.”
The company’s long-term vision is to build a platform for microbiome-based detoxification. Development of probiotic strains targeting different classes of contaminants. It’s a future where ecology and biotechnology merge, and the same microbes that evolved with us may be able to help us adapt to the modern world we’ve created.
A race against time and exposure
For firefighters, time is often measured in seconds. But when it comes to PFAS, the timeline is years. Every phone call you answer, every gear washed, every shift spent near foam and smoke increases your body’s chemical load invisibly. It could take decades for the effects to become apparent.
Cambiotics’ timeline reflects that urgency. With clinical trials set for 2026 and a consumer launch later that year, the company is competing not with competitors but with cumulative exposure. Each year brings new data supporting the risks of PFAS, and with it a stronger imperative to innovate.
The company’s founders spoke candidly about the challenges ahead. Translating laboratory results into real-world results requires not only scientific rigor, but also regulatory approval, manufacturing consistency, and global cooperation. But their progress so far shows that a solution may not be as far away as it once seemed.
inner strength
Firefighters have always relied on protective equipment such as helmets, gloves, and oxygen tanks to continue their work. Cambiotics’ approach adds another layer of quiet. It’s a layer that starts in the gut, not the skin. This is a reminder that sometimes your strongest defense is within.
For the broader public, the lessons are similar. Policy and cleanup efforts must continue, but individual empowerment is key. Supporting the microbiome, understanding exposure, and participating in data-driven health solutions can all help tip the balance towards resilience.
The story of PFAS is one of human invention surpassing human foresight. But it’s also a story about how innovation, guided by humility and biology, restores that balance. Cambiotics research does not promise miracles. It represents a new way of thinking about how we coexist with the chemicals that shape modern life.
Firefighters don’t just fight flames. We all do. The difference now is that science is beginning to provide not only new technologies but also ways to fight ancient allies that have been among us all along.
Disclaimer
These statements have not been evaluated by any regulatory authority. Future products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and are dependent on successful clinical evaluation and regulatory approval.
About Canbiotics
Cambiotics is a pioneering biotechnology company dedicated to developing next-generation probiotic solutions that help reduce the levels of PFAS, widely known as the “forever chemicals” in the human body. Founded in 2024 with support from the Danish Institute for Bioinnovation, Cambiotics builds on groundbreaking research from the University of Cambridge that identified gut bacteria that can trap PFAS and support their natural excretion. The company is preparing to begin its first human clinical trial in 2026, and plans to launch its debut product under the brand name “46&” later that year. Cambiotics is also working to provide early access to high-risk groups such as firefighters and military personnel.
For press inquiries, please contact Nila Amado.
nam@cambiotics.com or +45 26 46 48 81.
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