Bone loss prevention: Probi targets new platform for probiotic products

11 Apr 2018 --- Probi has released new clinical results with strong evidence of Probi probiotic supplements significantly reducing bone loss in post-menopausal women. This signifies the possible development of a new probiotic concept within the arena of bone health and osteoporosis.

“We are very excited about the results showing an opportunity to delay the progression of bone loss by using our probiotics in this healthy population,” says Ole Søgaard Andersen, CEO of Probi.

“Significant reduction of bone loss can potentially lead to a reduced risk for development of osteoporosis, which may over time lead to fewer fractures. Bone fractures as a result of osteoporosis are a considerable economic burden on the health-care system and cause a lot of suffering for the patients,” Titti Niskanen, Clinical Project Director, Probi, tells NutritionInsight.

The study, including 250 post-menopausal women, was randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled. The product tested in the study contains a unique combination of three patent protected Probi strains and was given daily for one year. 

The effect was measured on Bone Mineral Density using Dual-energy Xray absorptiometry (DXA). The subjects in the placebo group suffered a significant bone loss over the study period in contrast to the subjects treated with the three probiotic strains, who were protected against bone loss.

Probi began research into the bone health arena back in 2014, when “the results from a mouse model for menopause-related bone loss showed that pretreatment with our probiotic strains significantly attenuated this bone loss,” says Niskanen.

Osteoporosis constitutes a major health concern that entails a lot of suffering for the patients over bone fractures. The increasing number of fractures associated with the aging population emphasizes the importance of developing preventive solutions. The bone loss process increasing the risk for osteoporosis starts already at the age of 30, Probi state. Both men and women are affected even though the risk is higher in women where the bone loss rate increases in the menopausal phase.

“The probiotic market [is set to] continue to grow. Consumer demand for clinically documented probiotic products will increase as the consumer awareness and probiotic knowledge increases,” Linda Neckmar, VP EMEA & APAC, Probi, tells NutritionInsight.

However, Probi’s probiotic strains will be one of the first probiotic products to be launched in the bone health and osteoporosis segment.

The new concept will target both the Consumer Healthcare and Functional Food market segments and will be launched later this year.

In company related news, last month Probi signed a long-term agreement with Cilag, a member of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies, for the development of a probiotic product. The long-term deal with Cilag will aim to further expand Probi's product development pipeline and commercialize its strain portfolio. The parties will jointly initiate a probiotic development program. The program will be funded under non-disclosed financial terms by Cilag GmbH International and Probi will contribute with probiotic expertise.

By Laxmi Haigh