The two-day event held from Dec.10 - Dec.11 brought together scientists, researchers, and industry professionals to discuss recent advancements in probiotic research.
The first day featured presentations on two topics: the latest developments in probiotic gut health and technologies for strain development, as well as the evolving regulations around probiotic labeling and the potential for probiotics in functional beverages.
On the second day, discussions focused on probiotics’ role in brain health, the latest research on GLP-1 and metabolic health, and advances in cell analytics technologies.
Aidan Fitzsimons, CEO of AnaBio, said the meeting aimed to bring together collaborators from different fields to explore future opportunities.
“Successful real-world application of scientific research, particularly in the neutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries, requires more than just the core science and clinical trials,” he said.
“It also involves regulatory compliance, intellectual property protection, and understanding the appropriate applications. Additionally, stepping into this field requires medical or clinical expertise.
“The challenge we aimed to address is aligning everyone and ensuring that a wide range of necessary skills come together to make it happen in practice.”
Mental health at the forefront
One key focus was the impact of probiotics on cognitive function, with Dr. Julia Rode from Örebro University, Sweden, presenting novel results from her team assessing the neuropsychobiological effects of AnaBio’s microencapsulated probiotics.
Fitzsimons noted as multiple studies show that probiotics genuinely influence brain signaling in ways that may impact mood and concentration, there is significant potential in the space, even if robust cause-and-effect relationship are yet to be established.
“With mental health becoming such a major issue in society, a natural solution like probiotics could make an enormous public health contribution if its potential is realized,” he said, noting that probiotics could, for example, be ultimately viewed by the consumer as everyday mood and concentration enhancers, similar to how caffeine is viewed today.
The next critical steps for AnaBio will first be to understand how probiotics interact with the brain through gut mechanisms, such as serotonin production, and conducting further fundamental research to develop scientifically robust and consumer-friendly solutions. Secondly, communicating clearly with consumers to show both proven efficacy and clear communication to consumers will be key.
But for Fitzsimons, this area represents a high-potential investment focus, explaining that: “If we’re looking at our investments over the next two to three years, this is a place where that investment is justified.
“For a company of our size and ambition, it’s about focusing on breakthrough opportunities.”
Opportunities in obesity solutions
The obesity crisis is a significant issue, and addressing it effectively requires innovative solutions said Fitzsimons, referencing recent research presented by Professor Carel Le Roux from University College Dublin, which utilized AnaBio’s encapsulation for GLP-1 agonists, making the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) ingestible.
As Fitzsimons noted, current injectable treatments face challenges in cost and supply due to limitations in scaling production and delivery systems. However, transitioning to oral delivery, such as tablets, could mimic natural mechanisms more closely, potentially increasing potency and effectiveness.
Additionally, he said, tablets could lower costs and improve supply availability by avoiding the complexities of injectable treatments. Encapsulation technology, therefore, offers three main advantages: increased potency, improved supply, and reduced costs.
As Fitzsimons notes, there’s an evolution toward a more nuanced perspective that includes supplements as a middle ground between food and pharmaceuticals when it comes to weight loss.
And while pharmaceutical solutions have dominated, they are costly and face supply constraints.
“Ultimately, addressing obesity effectively may involve rethinking the delivery of these treatments, moving closer to the affordability of food while retaining pharmaceutical efficacy,” he said.