BIOASTER and PiLeJe Laboratoire in pact to look into probiotic-COVID-19 link
The agreement looks to harness BIOASTER’s expertise in microbiome-based research to create a human-cell based in vitro system that mirrors interactions taking place in the gut-lung axis.
“We are excited to develop new tools for the investigation of mechanisms behind the microbiota impact in the gut-lung axis, especially relevant to the current Covid-19 pandemics,” Nathalie Garçon, Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) of BIOASTER.
“While the physiopathology of SARS-CoV-2 infections is far from being fully understood, growing evidences point to a link between gut microbiota and lung immune system that could play a role in the disease development and outcomes.
“Thus, technologies to decipher the interplays between host, microbiota and pathogenic viruses are a cornerstone of future COVID-19 prognosis and therapeutic solutions.”
Gut-lung axis
The collaboration taps into worldwide efforts that focus on nutrition in combating the onset and effects of the coronavirus.
The gut-lung axis in particular is a research area that is of extreme interest considering the intestinal microbiome’s purported effect on distant organs like the lungs, as suggested by transfer experiments with dysbiotic microbiota.
A number of studies have looked at the gut microbiota’s impact on the lungs and its production of type I interferons (IFNs) known to influence viral infections that includes SARS-CoV-2.
BIOASTER, a Lyon-based Technology Research Institute is currently working to develop technological and innovative models to support the latest challenges in microbiology.
Kaleido Biosciences
The firm has recently completed another research agreement with Kaleido Biosciences that uses its Microbiome Metabolic Therapies (MMT) to investigate the integrity and function of the gut epithelium through the gut microbiome.
Here BIOASTER provided a number of technologies to decipher host-microbiome interactions that included differential gene transcription analysis, cytokine secretion assay and assessment of barrier function of the epithelial cells in vitro.
Meanwhile Pileje Laboratoire, a France-based dietary supplement contract manufacturer said of the collaboration with BIOASTER, “This new collaboration for such cutting-edge research into the relationship between microbiota, probiotics and COVID-19 infection, is proof that the PiLeJe group is one of the leading companies in the field of probiotics.
“This is not only on the European market with our Lactibane brand, but also in terms of a truly innovative R&D platform.”
