The agreement aims to address the rise in metabolic disorders such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, in which the inflammation process and intestinal microbiota are implicated.
Probiotics, which the two partners say will be initially available in supplement form, have proved effective in rebalancing the gut microbiome and reducing the risk of metabolic disorder progression.
“It’s an exciting opportunity to partner with P&G to jointly develop the next generation of microbe-based products,” comments Sebastien Guery, Human Microbiome Venture (HMV) leader at DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences.
“The combination of DuPont’s and P&G’s unique set of capabilities will allow us to accelerate innovation in the field of metabolic health and help millions of consumers affected by metabolic health issues.”
Metabolic health research
The agreement is the latest in DuPont’s HMV initiative having already struck a metabolic health-themed deal with MRM Health back in February this year.
The pact with the Belgium biopharmaceutical firm specifically looks to combine selected DuPont strains with MRM’s technology to develop new therapeutics based on live bacterial strain combinations.
MRM Health are now working on MH002, a drug candidate for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), which includes Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). The drug is an optimised consortium of bacteria, consisting of six well-characterised commensal strains.
Dupont’s latest partners, P&G are no strangers to the potential of the microbiome with company brands that focus on the microbiome of the scalp (Head and Shoulders), oral (Crest toothpaste) and skin (hand hygiene).
Its Align brand of probiotic supplements that address digestive health contain the probiotic strains Bifidobacterium 35624 and Bacillus Coagulans.
“As a company focused on innovation, P&G is excited to come together with our valued partners at DuPont,” says Paul Gama, president, P&G Personal Health Care.
“Many consumers trust Align, the #1 doctor and gastroenterologist recommended probiotic brand, to promote and support a healthy digestive system.
“This strategic partnership will help us further advance our probiotic innovation via a next generation solution that will prove beneficial to the health and well-being of consumers around the world.”
P&G’s interest in the microbiome also extends to existing research agreements with Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and Ohio State university.
In June of this year, the corporation extended its Align range to include a probiotic product that contains Bifidobacterium (BB-12) to provide colic relief for babies.