The new partnership will combine APC’s 20 years of microbiome research expertise with Kerry’s experience in commercializing science-backed ingredients in global markets.
The Ireland-based partners will focus on biotic technologies to develop novel solutions focused on the gut-brain axis to provide health benefits around stress, anxiety and mood.
New discoveries will be added to Kerry’s existing ProActive Health portfolio, which includes a range of clinically validated, branded ingredients for the food, beverage and supplements industries.
Gut-brain innovation
The partners have already conducted some work together in the field of gut-brain interaction. Kerry Group showcased a cognitive and immune health focused postbiotic concept at Vitafoods earlier this year, backed by science conducted in partnership with APC researchers.
Its Stressless Immune summer fruit gummy included the firm’s Wellmune Adapt, a proprietary baker’s yeast beta glucan postbiotic for immune system support, paired with vitamin C and Sensoril ashwagandha, to tap into the fact the immune system is heavily influenced by stress.
“This is based on the concept that putting an immune ingredient and stress ingredient together in one gummy will produce better efficacy,” explained Elizabeth Horvath, vice president of marketing at Kerry.
The mechanism of action behind the Wellmune ingredient was studied, with published results in iScience indicating it acts as a trainer of the innate immune system.
The research was conducted by a team of researchers from Kerry, Trinity College Dublin and APC Microbiome Ireland and concluded that Wellmune works on the inflammatory and antimicrobial behavior of monocytes and macrophages—cells that are a critical part of the innate immune system.
Recent research
APC carries out pioneering microbiome research, so far producing more than 3,000 peer-reviewed scientific publications. The institute has been particularly successful in collaborating with industry to develop science-based probiotics and other products, with more than €72 million in research funding secured from industry.
APC researchers recently showed that patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD) have a different microbiota composition than age-matched healthy controls (HC). They also completed research revealing the gut microbiota play a role in the heightened social fear response tied SAD.
The team used fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) to transplant microbiota from SAD or healthy control (HC) patients to mice before subjecting the mice to a range of behavioral assessments and analyzing fecal samples, ileal tissue and hormonal levels.
The resulting data indicated that FMT from a SAD donor negatively affects gut bacterial colonization and leads to increased sensitivity to social fear stimuli.
“Our study shows that the microbiota in SAD is capable of driving symptoms characteristic of the disorder,” said Prof John Cryan, vice president for research and innovation at UCC and lead author on the study. “This makes for exciting possibilities in the effort to develop therapeutics for patients suffering with SAD.”