The OneBiome lab, inaugurated Sept. 29, is targeted on growing focused options by combining superior mircobiology, AI and information science.
its inauguration marks the beginning of an expanded analysis agenda to discover microbial interventions throughout the lifespan, with a specific give attention to particular well being situations, equivalent to allergy symptoms and weight problems.
“We all know that the microbiome is a central regulator of total well being,” Rocio Martin, Danone’s vice chairman of life science innovation, advised NutraIngredients. “Nonetheless, we see some limitations of the data of the microbiome right now.
“The data we’ve inbuilt the previous couple of years has been fairly descriptive. We all know concerning the qualities and the sorts of microbes within the intestine, however we wish to deliver it to the following stage and perceive what they do, how they do it and the way we will affect well being via vitamin.”
Using AI
Shopper consciousness of the significance of intestine well being is on the rise. Google tendencies present that searches for intestine well being have greater than tripled since 2020.
Shopper analysis by Danone, nonetheless, reveals that solely half of the individuals surveyed consider they’ve a wholesome intestine microbiota, and eight in 10 individuals expertise digestive discomfort. There may be additionally inter-individual variability to think about.
“We all know from finding out the intestine microbiome that there’s very excessive particular person variability, so making use of what works for one might not work for one more,” Martin stated. “Personalization is the tip purpose, however that’s very tough to do at scale. So, what we are attempting to do is perceive particular group wants, equivalent to infants, the aged or people who have sure allergy symptoms.”
As a part of this mission, Danone is harnessing AI to construct fashions which might mimic a person’s intestine microbiome in an effort to match merchandise to particular person well being standing or life stage.
“AI is the idea of what we’re doing as a result of the quantity of information we get after we sequence the microbiome is immense,” Martin stated. “You want AI to connect with all the knowledge you might have on that topic and evaluate it to the info you might have the world over.”
Digital well being instruments, equivalent to wearable tech, will even be used to offer extra goal parameters, reasonably than counting on subjective self-reporting.
This new give attention to tech is knowledgeable by the current work of the OneBiome lab in Singapore, the place AI-powered instruments are offering mother and father with real-time insights into their little one’s well being. This contains an iron, stool and development tracker to watch well being and improvement.
Toddler well being will even be a key analysis pillar on the Paris-Saclay web site, the place Danone will examine how microbial interventions within the first 1,000 days of life affect long-term well being outcomes.
Exploring rising analysis areas
The inauguration follows Danone’s acquisition of the Akkermansia Company and its Akkermansia muciniphila MucT postbiotic pressure.
The corporate now plans to discover how Akkermansia and different postbiotics could possibly be utilized in each toddler and grownup vitamin merchandise, notably within the context of preserving intestine barrier integrity.
“Postbiotics confer lots of the similar advantages as probiotics, however the benefit is that the microorganisms should not alive, so they’re suitable with new meals kinds,” Martin stated.
“Akkermansia is a science-based biotic idea that has strong proof for strengthening the intestine barrier, lowering irritation and supporting metabolic well being. It’s due to this fact a key biotic that can assist us to drive our mission of bringing well being via meals with our biotics experience.”
The lab will even examine the affect of GLP-1 medicine on the intestine microbiome to determine whether or not sure microbial interventions may improve particular person responses to those therapies.
“There’s a rising use of GLP-1 medicine, and we’ve discovered that folks might or might not reply to those medicine based mostly on the microbiome they’ve,” Martin stated. “What we’re looking for out is whether or not biotic interventions may decide whether or not or not shoppers reply to sure therapies or interventions.”
Personalization, prediction and prevention
In the end, Danone’s mission is to open alternatives for customized, preventive and predictive meals options, tailoring recommendation and creating merchandise for particular teams with particular wants.
The corporate can also be dedicated to exploring rising areas of analysis such because the gut-brain axis as a part of a mission to uncover how the intestine microbiome influences total well being.
“We like to speak concerning the gut-organ entry as a result of we consider the intestine impacts well being total—that is one thing we’re exploring fairly intensively,” Martin stated. “One of many challenges we’ve in these approaches is the shortage of validated biomarkers and the medical endpoints, however that is one thing we’re beginning to discover.”
