Webinar preview: Novonesis unveils new research on HMO health benefits beyond infant nutrition

In an upcoming webinar, Novonesis will reveal new, unpublished data on the health benefits of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) for infant nutrition and other applications. The company has taken “significant steps” to uncover the bioactive compounds’ structural diversity and specific advantages in infant immunity, gut health and beyond.

Ahead of the webinar, “HMOs and health benefits: From scientific insights to applications,” Nutrition Insight sits down with the expert speakers in the session, Yannik Schönknecht, senior scientific adviser at Novonesis and Dr. Stine Rikke Jensen, the company’s head of applied HMO Science and Innovation. 

The experts will explore the latest scientific developments in advancing HMOs’ health benefits and potential new applications, from infant formulas to adult dietary supplements. 

“HMOs are an outstanding component of human milk,” explains Schönknecht. “They are present in high amounts (third most abundant solid component) as well as in a high number of structures (more than 150 structures).” 

He notes that the compounds are associated with several health benefits, such as immunity and gut health. “HMOs are mostly resistant to digestion and are only minimally absorbed, and act as prebiotics that modulate the microbiome beneficially.” 

“HMOs are much more than just prebiotics. They directly support different health benefits, which are microbiome-independent, including supporting the immune system, gastrointestinal health and cognition. This spectrum of benefits makes HMOs of high interest for health benefit applications in infants and other indications.”

Immunity support through the gut

Schönknecht and Rikke Jensen explain that HMOs can indirectly support infant immunity through the microbiome. 

“Firstly, while beneficial gut microbes grow on HMOs, they produce specific metabolites. These metabolites can be absorbed and have immunomodulatory effects but are also anti-bacterial against certain pathogens. Secondly, HMOs can directly interact with immune cells in the gut and the body, thereby influencing immune cell responses.”

In next week’s webinar, the speakers will present unpublished data on HMO effects on the immune system.They detail that HMOs reach the large intestine “mostly intact and unmodified.” Here, they are available for commensal bacteria as a growth substrate.  

“Evolutionary intestinal microbes have genetically adapted to utilizing HMOs effectively. Additionally, HMOs are mostly not utilized by potentially pathogenic microbes and can even inhibit their growth and function. This means beneficial intestinal microbes’ growth is favored while potential pathogens’ growth is limited.” 

HMO research update

In 2023, Novonesis highlighted clinical and preclinical insights into how HMOs can support the immune system in a webinar with Nutrition Insight. 

“In the last webinar, we concluded on the current state of scientific evidence and identified key aspects for future HMO research,” explains Rikke Jensen. “Since then, the Novonesis science team has worked on these areas, and we will give an update on recently published work, a sneak peek into new data and an update on clinical activities.”

In next week’s webinar, the speakers will present unpublished data on HMO effects on the immune system. “Data will cover different areas, including proteomic data from in vitro experiments and animal studies, and we will give some insights into a new clinical trial by Novonesis,” she says. 

Schönknecht adds: “Emerging research shows that HMOs can be beneficial for indications beyond infant formula. For example, a recent publication demonstrates that one of the HMOs, 3’-SL (3’-sialyllactose), can reduce low-grade inflammation and atherosclerosis development in mice. These are quite interesting findings and show a great potential of HMOs in other indication areas.”

In another previous webinar, Novonesis highlighted the potential of synbiotics in infant nutrition and beyond, focusing on combining HMOs and probiotics. The speakers presented the company’s portfolio of synbiotic solutions across various health areas and life stages, from prenatal care to mature women. 

The company also partnered with the University of California in San Diego, US, to create a new HMO research incubator to enrich the scientific field of synbiotics by advancing knowledge about HMOs. 

With additional reporting by Milana Nikolova