Lallemand research backs proprietary probiotics’ benefits on maternal health and infant microbiome

Lallemand Health Solutions’ Rosell Institute for Microbiome and Probiotics has published findings of a women’s and infant health study supporting its latest probiotic formulation, Prenatis. The formula contains two proprietary strains — Lactobacillus rhamnosus Rosell-11 and Bifidobacterium bifidum HA-132. It is shown to support maternal health during pregnancy and help develop a healthy infant microbiome through breastfeeding. 

Prenatis can be combined with other probiotic strains and enriched with essential nutrients such as vitamin B9 (folic acid). It is available in a variety of convenient formats for expectant mothers, including sachets, sticks, orodispersible powders, and capsules in blisters or bottles.

The assessment was done in collaboration with Canadian fertility clinic Clinique Ovo.

“We are very proud to announce the publication of this study, which involved a large cohort of healthy pregnant women and included follow-up of their babies up to one year of age,” says Sylvie Binda, one of the paper’s lead authors and vice president of Research and Development at Lallemand Health Solutions.

“This research is innovative, and we worked closely with experts to deepen our understanding of vertical microbial transfer in the establishment of the infant’s microbiome. We also gained new insights into pregnancy, particularly during the third trimester.”

Clinical study parameters

Lallemand Health Solutions evaluated Prenatis in a large-scale clinical trial involving 180 healthy women in the third trimester of pregnancy. Participants administered the probiotic received five billion CFU of Prenatis daily for 12 weeks before birth and continued supplementation for an additional four to six weeks postpartum.

Follow-ups were conducted with both mothers and their infants up to one year of age.

The results demonstrated a significant reduction in the proportion of women who experienced at least one diagnosed infection in the Prenatis group. There was also a trend toward reduced incidence of bacterial vaginosis, one of the most diagnosed infections during pregnancy due to microflora dysbiosis.

In newborns, the study showed a significant reduction in the number of sick days and positive effects on gut microbiome establishment, particularly in infants delivered by C-section due to the vertical transmission from the mom to the baby. Additionally, exclusively breastfed infants — regardless of delivery mode — benefited from enhanced colonization of beneficial bacteria.

“This study is the result of several years of collaboration with clinical experts in women’s health, pediatrics, and microbiome science. The combined expertise of Lallemand and Clinique Ovo was instrumental in achieving one of the largest mother-infant dyad studies to date,” adds Marie-Laure Oula, director of Clinical Operations at Lallemand Health Solutions.

“We are proud to share the outcomes of this successful partnership, which offers new, natural, and safe solutions to support women during pregnancy and promote the health of their newborns.”

Dr. Jacques Kadoch, medical director and founding member of Clinique Ovo, stresses: “This study represents a major scientific milestone for our research team and brings encouraging news for pregnant women. We are proud of the results we have achieved.”

Lallemand Health Solutions’ research team will be presenting the findings of the study at several scientific conferences and trade shows in the coming months.

The study, titled “The Effect of Probiotics on Health in Pregnancy and Infants: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial,” is published in the peer-reviewed journal Nutrients.

Lallemand’s probiotic pipeline

In recent activities, Lallemand Health Solutions joined forces with Ostia Sciences to advance a novel oral probiotic into clinical trials. The ingredient, Streptococcus salivarius SALI-10 — a proprietary probiotic strain designed to support oral microbiome health — will be brought to industrial-scale production through the collaboration.

Last month, the company entered a distribution partnership with Kirin Holdings for Immuse, dubbed one of the most documented postbiotics for immune support, backed by patent-protected research.

In April, Lallemand Health Solutions and FrieslandCampina Ingredients entered a new phase in their collaboration on the synbiotic concept, Natural PRO-Digest. In this advancement, the companies expect to accelerate the synergies byfrom combining their offerings of probiotics and prebiotics.

Earlier this year, Lallemand Health Solutions published clinical findings supporting that its Cerebiome psychobiotic’s, Cerebiome, ability tocan help manage occasional stress, improve sleep quality, and enhance skin appearance.