US$7m DuPont collaboration to develop infant microbiome offerings

13 Mar 2020 --- DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences is embarking on a four-year project with the APC Microbiome Ireland SFI Research Centre to rebalance the gut bacteria of babies after antibiotics or Caesarean-section births. The €6.3 million (US$7 million) “Missing Microbes in Infants born by C-section” (MiMIC) project aims to develop microbiome-based solutions to help establish a healthy microbiome in early life to facilitate the long-term health of individuals. This collaboration is likely to lead to a wealth of new products for the lucrative infant microbiome market, which DuPont expects to come to market during a three to five-year time horizon.

“Currently, our focus is on probiotics and microbiome therapeutics, but it could also expand to food ingredients and symbiotics. Ultimately, microbiome modulating supplements and ingredients will be the types of products derived from this project,” Catherine Stanton, Project Leader at APC Microbiome Ireland, tells NutritionInsight.

However, she notes that there are still many steps before any products come to market, noting that development is currently underway. Further research will then be necessary to prove the benefits of the offerings. The project will be funded jointly by DuPont and Science Foundation Ireland’s Spokes Programme.

“This state-of-the-art project is at the edge of our microbiome capabilities. It follows individual beneficial strains in the development of the microbiome of the baby. We have the capability to see what microbes were present and which persist over time. We also can access and develop those into products called ‘Future Human Nutrition,’” Stanton explains.

Launched in 2017, the DuPont HMV aims to spearhead the development of next-generation microbiome solutions.Gut bacteria develops over the first four years of life and plays a crucial role in human health. The establishment of a healthy gut microbiome in early life is influenced by birth mode, antibiotic use and nutrition, including breast milk components. Infant gut microbiota can be severely depleted in infants born by C-section or exposed to antibiotics. Breastfeeding can help improve microbiota composition.

Research in the face of coronavirus
The study aims to recruit 400 healthy pregnant women and their infants. Dr. Martin Kullen, Director of Probiotics and Microbiome Research at DuPont tells NutritionInsight that this large number is expected to provide detailed insights into how the microbiota of C-section delivered infants compares to that of vaginally delivered infants. In addition, the project will develop a cohort of vaginally delivered healthy infants that allows for isolation of the “missing intestinal microbes” and building of a unique collection of microbial strains. This is for further research and product development for key unmet needs around maternal and infant health, as well as solutions for cognitive health and well-being.

“Comparing the microbiota profile of such infants with the microbiota composition of vaginally delivered infants will allow the identification of bacterial strains that can be further developed into probiotic products to help replenish depleted microbiota of infants born by C-section or treated with antibiotics. In addition, specific microbiome influencing ingredients, such as human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), can be studied to see how these may interact and support the growth of such new probiotics,” Dr. Kullen adds. 

However, the rise of COVID-19 could present a challenge for the fledgling collaboration, especially in terms of retaining their cohort. Stanton notes that maintaining a cohort of that size under any circumstances can be a challenge, let alone during a global health pandemic. However, she stresses that the cohort’s health is a major priority, although there may be a dip in activity. 

The DuPont Human Microbiome Venture (HMV) was launched in 2017 to spearhead the development of next-generation microbiome solutions for improved health and wellness. It is designed to accelerate product development to complement its existing portfolio and build on DuPont’s expertise in prebiotics, microbes, proteins and enzymes.

DuPont has been active in the microbiome sector. Last month, it announced a collaboration with biopharmaceutical company MRM Health to tackle a range of metabolic diseases via innovative solutions based on the human microbiome. Meanwhile, a safety assessment of 3-Fucolsyllactose (3-FL) HMO brought the company one step closer to the launch of CARE4U 3-FL. 

“Science Foundation Ireland strongly welcomes this collaboration between DuPont and APC Microbiome Ireland SFI Research Centre. SFI Research Centres such as APC Microbiome Ireland are making important scientific advances, attract top research talent to Ireland, enhancing enterprise and industry, training students with critical in-demand skills and boosting Ireland’s international reputation. We look forward to seeing the results of this industry partnership and its impact on public health,” explains Mark Ferguson, Director General of Science Foundation Ireland and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland.

By Katherine Durrell