Lallemand Health Solutions and Université Laval to develop healthy aging probiotics

Lallemand Health Solutions and research teams from Université Laval, Canada, have launched a collaborative project to help develop a new generation of biotics for healthy aging. The teams aim to support cardiometabolic and neurocognitive health throughout aging with scientifically validated nutritional solutions. 

The partners note that as the gut microbiota and intestinal health alter with aging, these may contribute to declines in cardiometabolic and neurocognitive functions. In a globally aging population, the risks of disorders in these areas increase, creating a need to develop products and strategies that address the underlying biological mechanisms of growing older. 

“Our approach relies on an integrated translational strategy that combines human data, predictive preclinical models, and in-depth mechanistic analyses,” says Stéphane Bronner, Ph.D. Bronner is the translational research director at Lallemand Health Solutions’ Rosell Institute of Microbiome and Probiotics.

“The objective is to generate product candidates that are ready for clinical validation. This collaboration builds on our fully integrated innovation pipeline, from early discovery through preclinical validation.”

The product involves scientists from the Research Centers of the Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec at Université Laval and of the CHU de Québec-Université Laval, as well as the Institut sur la Nutrition et les Aliments Fonctionnels at Université Laval.

Integrated approach

The partners aim to identify novel, high-value microbial ingredients, develop innovative formulations targeting healthy aging, and generate strong scientific data to support future clinical trials.

Lallemand Health Solutions will contribute its portfolio of over 40 proprietary probiotic strains and expertise in product development to the project. Meanwhile, Université Laval will enable access to its biobank derived from human cohorts, together with research platforms and facilities.

“With this project, our goals are to identify and characterize beneficial bacterial strains and consortia, to demonstrate their efficacy on cardiometabolic, cognitive, and inflammatory markers associated with aging, and ultimately to develop one or more candidates ready for human clinical validation,” says André Marette, Ph.D., professor of Medicine and researcher at Université Laval Research Centers.

The researchers will conduct initial screening and prioritization of strains using in silico analyses and datasets. This will be followed by high-throughput functional screening in preclinical models to determine those strains that are associated with longevity, metabolic health, and neurocognitive function.

The teams will evaluate promising candidates in an in vivo model of accelerated aging, which includes comprehensive cardiometabolic, intestinal, and neurocognitive phenotypes to support preclinical validation.

Moreover, the project will conduct an in-depth investigation of biological mechanisms that underlie observed effects. The teams will analyze changes in the composition and function of gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids and bile acid metabolism, chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, nitric oxide signaling, the tryptophan-kynurenine pathway, and neuroendocrine mechanisms involved in aging.

In related news, Nestlé partnered with Nanyang Technological University Singapore earlier this year to establish a research lab focused on nutrition’s role in longevity and women’s health.