“Key milestone”: Chr. Hansen trial finds probiotic potential for painkiller gut damage defense
16 May 2018 --- A Chr. Hansen clinical trial has demonstrated the effectiveness of probiotic strains in protecting against potential gut damage caused by the regular use of household painkillers. Chr. Hansen state that they will now focus on fully exploiting the strains full potential, deepening understanding of the underlying mechanisms and gathering sufficient data to publish in a scientific journal. The findings add to a growing research area using probiotics for health. “This study further confirms the potential of probiotics in bringing benefits beyond well-studied areas in gastro-intestinal (GI) health and well-being. In that context, it is in line with our expectation that probiotics and beneficial bacteria from the microbiome will be of increasing relevance for the maintenance of health and the prevention and treatment of disease.” Johan van Hylckama Vlieg, Vice President of Microbiome & Human Health Innovation tells NutritionInsight. “The clinical trial identified that participants taking the probiotic experienced a significant defense against GI damage caused by a widely used household painkiller compared to those who took the placebo. This indicates a clear protective effect from the strain – both regarding the reduction of intestinal damage and the number of ulcers caused.” The clinical trial used capsule endoscopy to reveal GI damage. It’s one of the first times that this advanced technology was used in a probiotic intervention trial. Common GI side effects from household painkiller However, Chr. Hansen adds that the regular use of NSAIDs can have side effects. ASA has emerged as one of the causes of ulcer bleeding in developed countries over the last two decades, underscoring an arguably unmet need to protect the gastrointestinal against damage caused by long-term and chronic NSAID therapy. Probiotic innovation programme “With this clinical data, we are breaking ground into a new field. As part of our Nature’s no.1 strategy, we work to unleash the potential of probiotics as a safe and effective solution into new health areas. To do this, we focus on careful strain selection, high-quality clinical trial design and professional execution”, explains van Hylckama Vlieg. “Multiple paths for real-world implications can be envisioned, and today we are evaluating the different options. We are also currently performing additional scientific analyses in order to maximize the potential of our findings.” “However, we are still at the early scientific discovery stages and have not concluded on the final product concept yet,” he adds. “With this particular strain, we have reached a key milestone. We are now continuing to invest in this concept to further investigate the potential of the strain. Our goal is to make it available to the many millions who need to take ASA regularly to support their long-term health,” concludes van Hylckama Vlieg. The research builds on recent developments from Chr. Hansen regarding the use of probiotics strains in medical treatment. Last month, the company announced a partnership with Prota Therapeutics, developer of oral immunotherapies to treat food allergies. The partnership seeks to utilize Chr. Hansen’s probiotic strain, Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LGG) in the treatment of peanut allergies. “Chr. Hansen has demonstrated the capability to deliver a pharmaceutical quality product that can be regulated as a biological therapeutic product. Together with our proprietary peanut protein formulation, we aim to progress this through to commercialization of a treatment for peanut allergies,” says Dr. Suzanne Lipe, CEO at Prota Therapeutics. Regarding the medicines hitting the shelves, Thomas Gundelund Rasmussen, Director, Human Health and Microbiome Innovation told NutritionInsight at the time: “It will be approximately three years for the phase three clinical study, which is followed by discussions with the US FDA. After which, Prota intends to submit a Biologics License Application to FDA.” By Laxmi Haigh To contact our editorial team please email us at editorial@cnsmedia.com
Related ArticlesHealth & Nutrition News Joint health: “boomer” and “millennial” demographics hold future potential, says Lonza exec19 Oct 2018 --- The global market for joint health supplements is increasing, driven by the large “baby boomer” population seeking to maintain their bone health and “millennials” high rate of supplement use. This is according to Dominik Mattern, Associate Director and Head of Business Development at Lonza. During a NutritionInsight webinar presented yesterday, entitled Driving growth in the joint health category: UC-II undenatured Type II collagen for joint support, Mattern highlighted the shifting market dynamics which is supporting the popularity of ingredients for joint health such as Lonza's UC-II undenatured Type II collagen. Health & Nutrition News Microbiome may play a role in development of multiple sclerosis, study finds17 Oct 2018 --- Gastrointestinal microbiota could play a far greater role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers at the University of Zurich have identified. The study noted that immune cells that are activated in the intestine migrate to the brain, where they may cause an “inflammatory cascade.” The researchers suggest that it is worth broadening the research perspective to gain a better understanding of the pathological processes. Health & Nutrition News Study: Ketogenic diet helps to prevent cognitive decline in mice15 Oct 2018 --- The ketogenic diet may improve neurovascular function in mice who follow the ketogenic diet regime, a study published in Scientific Reports has found. The research team hopes that their work may hold potential for the future understanding of the link between the microbiome and neurological disorder. Health & Nutrition News Microbiota and sports performance: Calls for greater NPD innovation from Olympic Gold skater12 Oct 2018 --- Probiotics hold major untapped potential in the sports nutrition arena, with greater scientific support for efficacy coming on stream in just the past 4 to 5 years. But there is still plenty of innovation potential to fill. This is according to Dutch Olympic Gold Medal speed skater and newfound nutrition entrepreneur, Mark Tuitert. Health & Nutrition News Expanding probiotic potential: Bacillus found to curb Staphylococcus bacteria in NIH study11 Oct 2018 --- A “good” bacterium commonly found in probiotic digestive supplements can help eliminate Staphylococcus aureus, a type of bacteria that can cause serious antibiotic-resistant infections. This is according to a new study by the US National Institutes of Health scientists (NIH) and researchers from Mahidol University and Rajamangala University of Technology in Thailand. This study is a key example of the growing interest in finding applications for probiotics beyond the familiar area of digestive health. More Articles |
