Biosearch Life launches probiotic COVID-19 trial, consumers move for gut health products

24 Apr 2020 --- Many businesses active in the gut health space, including Probi and Lehvoss Nutrition, have seen a recent boost to their immunity-related products as consumers leave no stone unturned in safeguarding their health amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With lockdown measures unlikely to lift entirely until a pharmaceutical treatment is found – which could be over a year away – probiotics and postbiotics could provide an avenue of maintaining health in the meantime, with Biosearch Life launching a clinical trial examining the effect of its Hereditum Immunactiv K8 product on COVID-19. NutritionInsight speaks to industry players and weighs up how far the digestive health industry can go in the fight against COVID-19.

Probi has seen a solid Q1 2020, with the business reporting a clear increase in interest in its immunity products. This was seen with early and extended orders in all markets, with the company saying this is likely an effect of the pandemic. “In these turbulent and troubling times, we are happy to see increased interest in our products and that our order book looks good for the near future. At the same time, it is too early to determine how persistent demand will be. Large orders at present may be signs of stocking at the consumer level and we expect revenue to vary between quarters during the year,” says Probi CEO Tom Rönnlund. 

Meanwhile, Teresita Rudà, Marketing Manager of Lehvoss Nutrition, reports that the company has seen a lot of interest around postbiotic ingredients, especially in the US. “These functional compounds are generated in a matrix during fermentation and may be used to promote health. We represent EpiCor, a whole food fermentate clinically shown to support the immune system and modulate and benefit the gut microbiota,” she explains.

Biosearch Life embarks on clinical trial
Last month, Biosearch Life gained clinical evidence that its probiotic strain Lactobacillus coryniformis CECT5711 K8 can reduce virally transmitted respiratory infections in elderly populations. The company is now launching a clinical trial project for its Hereditum Immunactiv K8 product, with the aim of measuring its effectiveness in reducing the incidence or severity of COVID-19 infection.

The first study will be carried out on 320 healthcare personnel in contact with patients with COVID-19, with results set to be obtained in the third quarter of the year. Biosearch Life notes that if the benefits are confirmed, Hereditum Immunactiv K8 would act as an ally in the situations of greatest vulnerability and exposure to the COVID-19 virus.

“The new clinical trials that we are launching with Hereditum Immunactiv K8 are a mandatory exercise of responsibility, given the history of the product and the opportunity they represent to contribute to the fight against this pandemic. From Biosearch Life we are putting all our energy and enthusiasm into this project,” says Jose María Roset, CEO of Biosearch Life.

Some members of the industry are pointing to prior research examining the connection between digestive well-being and other similar infections.Looking to past research
While research examining the link between gut health and COVID-19 is only just starting to accumulate, some members of the industry are pointing to prior research examining the connection between digestive well-being and other similar infections. Odd Erik Hansen, CEO of Glycom, highlights a study showing that human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) can reduce lower respiratory tract infections in infants. HMOs can also aid general immunity, with evidence showing they can bind to cells in the immune system and block the attachment of various microbial pathogens to cells.

Meanwhile, BioGaia’s strain L. reuteri DSM 17938 has been shown to protect against upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) symptoms and gastrointestinal problems in children aged six months to three years old, as well as to reduce the incidence of diarrhea in children aged one to six years old. A randomized placebo-controlled trial with L. reuteri ATCC 55730 showed improved work-place healthiness by reducing short term sick-leave caused by respiratory or gastrointestinal problems in Tetra Pak workers in Sweden.

Lucie Lingrand, Product Manager of Marketing and Communication at Lallemand Health Solutions, notes that specific probiotic strains and strain combinations documented for their beneficial immune effects could help prevent URTIs by boosting a lowered immune response in physically active people. This group may be prone to weakened immune systems due to induced stress. 

“A recent clinical trial was conducted on 39 elite athletes during winter to evaluate the clinical and immunomodulatory effects of L. helveticus LAFTI L10. After 14 weeks of supplementation, the average duration of URTIs was shortened by 3.4 days, and symptoms decreased by 29 percent,” she explains. 

Pointing to immune system support
Meanwhile, the International Probiotics Association (IPA) highlights several other clinical trials that have been conducted with selected strains of probiotics and synbiotics (probiotic and prebiotic combination) to assess their ability to reduce diseases including URTIs, influenza, and the common cold. One study using a strain of L. plantarum found a reduced incidence of URTI after one to two months and reduced nasal symptoms after three months. 

Another study revealed that the severity and duration of URTI was reduced in people consuming a combination of L. gasseri, B. longum and B. bifidum, although there was no change in the likelihood of infection. Meanwhile, children consuming B. lactis and L. acidophilus had less severe and shorter duration of cold and flu-like symptoms, including a cough, fever and runny nose.

“While it is difficult to extrapolate results from studies with different strains and different types of respiratory infections, collectively, these results point to support of the immune system using select strains of probiotics, certain prebiotics and specific combinations of synbiotics. In certain cases, these may potentially reduce the incidence, severity and duration of some URTIs,” says the IPA.

Notably, one recent Chinese study did examine probiotics’ potential in preventing secondary bacterial infection, specifically in COVID-19 patients. The researchers speculated that targeting gut microbiota may be a new therapeutic option or at least an adjuvant therapeutic choice.

More research warrantedMore research must be done to understand how probiotics could affect COVID-19.
However, experts warn that more research must be done to understand how probiotics could affect COVID-19, with BioGaia stating that there is no scientific rationale of using probiotics to protect, prevent or treat COVID-19 infection specifically.

“Nevertheless, we strongly support the reinforcement of our immune system by any scientifically valid strategy. Help in maintaining a healthy gut microbial diversity and prevent intestinal dysbiosis in elderly, infants and the general population is important. Combining a healthy and balanced diet together with prebiotics, probiotics, vitamin supplementation, among others, could help us to reinforce our immune system during the COVID-19 outbreak,” states the company. 

“COVID-19 is a novel virus not seen in humans before. This means that health professionals are still in the process of learning how this coronavirus behaves, the mechanisms by which it is transmitted and how it interacts with the human immune system. Due to COVID-19’s novelty, it is extremely unlikely that anyone could confidently comment on the ability of any treatment – probiotics included – to prevent this strain of the virus, as this would require robust clinical evidence to be substantiated,” adds Laura Dijkstra-de Jong, Technical Innovation Manager at Fonterra. 

She continues that current treatments address the symptoms of coronavirus – such as a fever and a cough – which are often typical seasonal flu or general respiratory illness. However, she concludes that Fonterra’s pre- and probiotics can be used to support general immunity, rather than targeting the prevention of a specific disease in the wider population. 

To keep readers informed of these rapid developments, NutritionInsight is updating its daily news feed for the coronavirus-related information and insights you need to guide your business through this challenging period.

By Katherine Durrell