Probi partners on probiotic research for vaginal health NPD targeting underserved market

01 Jun 2021 --- Sweden-based Probi and the Competence Centre on Health Technologies (CCHT) have signed a long-term R&D collaboration agreement that aims to develop new products based on probiotic lactobacilli strains.

As part of the collaboration, Probi will get access to a proprietary bacterial strain library.

“Probiotics are well-established as having health benefits within vaginal health, but there are ample opportunities for improved products on the market,” says Tom Rönnlund, CEO, Probi.

“We aim to identify and develop novel, scientifically validated probiotic products that support a healthy vaginal microbiota and thereby maintain vaginal health,” Titti Niskanen, director R&D and clinical operations at Probi, tells NutritionInsight.

Both topical and oral administrations are relevant and will be explored, Niskanen adds. “The final product format on specific markets will, however, need to take into account specific regulatory requirements for that market.”

As part of the CCHT collaboration, Probi will get specific access to a unique and proprietary bacterial strain library.A common concern
Vaginal infections represent one of the most common reasons for gynecological consultations. Seventy percent of all women are estimated to experience at least one episode of yeast infection, the company supports. 

Moreover, 30 percent of women will suffer from bacterial vaginosis (inflammation caused by bacteria), among which many will have recurrent episodes. 

Common for many vaginal infections is a disturbance of the vaginal microbiota where the normal protective lactobacilli-dominated microbiota has been disrupted.

“Traditional treatment options have been centered around antibiotics and antifungals to get rid of the infection, but without focus on reestablishing a healthy balanced vaginal microbiota and in some cases causing an even more severe disruption,” notes Niskanen.

“Vaginal probiotics may have an important role in establishing healthy microbial communities in a natural way and thereby helping maintain vaginal health.”

An untapped market
Probiotics have great potential to help reduce cases of recurrent infections, which sometimes can lead to more severe health conditions, according to Hardi Tamm, development manager at CCHT.

“Therefore, we are pleased to have reached a collaboration agreement with Probi and are looking forward to taking our existing know-how together to the next level in finding a health solution which meets the unmet needs of many women.” 

Probi seeks to introduce scientifically validated probiotics with benefits for several gynecological disorders.Efficacious and science-supported probiotic vaginal health products are an unmet market need, the company says. “There were 96 new vaginal health supplement launches in 2020 and 74 of these contained probiotics, corresponding to 77 percent of overall vaginal health supplement launches.”

Clearly, the consumer need is there, Probi supports, and the belief that probiotics might play an important role is also there. The question is if the current probiotic offerings meet consumer expectations.

“We are hoping to introduce novel and scientifically validated probiotics with benefits for several gynecological disorders,” says professor Reet Mändar of CCHT and the University of Tartu, Estonia.

Mändar has long-standing expertise within this health area and says she is looking forward to this “highly synergistic cooperation,” which combines CCHT’s scientific expertise with Probi’s skills in product development and commercialization.

Women’s health rises
Previously, NutritionInsight spoke with industry players about how ingredients like probiotics can help address a range of issues throughout all women’s life stages. 

The space allows for a lot of innovation and many players are looking to tap into its potential.

Lallemand Health Solutions commercialized Proge Farm’s L. plantarum P17630 (Proge P17630) probiotic strain, which can aid in maintaining an equilibrium of normal vaginal microflora in certain circumstances.

Meanwhile, Ferring, Rebiotix and MyBiotics entered into a multi-year collaboration to develop live microbiota-based biotherapeutics to address bacterial vaginosis. 

Speaking to NutritionInsight, Chr. Hansen noted that women’s health is viewed as one of the fastest-growing categories in the probiotics space and yet remains a widely “overlooked” market. The company aims to fortify its position in this sector throughout 2021.

By Kristiana Lalou