Nataša Golić, scientific advisor at the Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering of the University of Belgrade, indicated that it is expected that the new probiotic will appear on the domestic market by the end of this year, and after that on the global market through a strategic partnership with leading partners from the pharmaceutical industry in a few years.
According to the data of the International Diabetes Federation for the year 2021, about 537 million people suffer from diabetes in the world, and this number is expected to increase to 643 million by 2030 and to 783 million by 2045. It is a serious global problem which, in addition to the health and economic aggravating factors, considering the cost of therapy. There are currently 780,000 registered diabetes patients in Serbia, but this number is certainly higher since there are also patients who are not registered. Also, there are about three times as many people with prediabetes, who could develop this disease at some point in their lives. In Serbia, patients receive insulin, while in other countries in the world this is not the case, and insulin must be purchased.
The innovation of the Institute for Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering is a new completely natural and safe probiotic for the prevention and relief of clinical symptoms and complications of diabetes. Preclinical studies conducted at the Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering have shown that this innovative probiotic exerts protective effects on the liver and kidneys by reducing DNA damage and oxidative stress. The results of preclinical tests indicate the ability of this probiotic to lower cholesterol and triglycerides, to exhibit antioxidant effects. It also improves the diversity of the intestinal microbiota, so it can be taken preventively in order to prevent the onset of diabetes in people with prediabetes. Consequently, this innovative natural probiotic can be used as a natural supplement for diabetic patients with the aim of alleviating the symptoms of the disease and reducing the occurrence of diabetes-related health complications. The idea is that this probiotic is produced in the form of a fermented milk drink, which is an additional convenience for users, because it does not affect the budget of patients with pre-diabetes and diabetes and can be used as part of their regular diet instead of other dairy products.
One of the applications is to use it when drinking an antibiotic, so that the body can function. The Institute has a collection of more than 4,000 natural isolates of lactic acid bacteria from where bacteria for probiotics are recruited. Currently, there are no personalized probiotics on the market and only now they are slowly starting to appear and will be made for certain specific target groups. The Institute expects the expansion of such probiotics on the market.
An innovative probiotic for diabetes was developed and its safety and efficacy were confirmed in preclinical studies during an innovation project funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development ($47,000) and through a program voucher for innovation funded by the Innovation Fund ($6,000). The probiotic strain (Lactobacillus paraplantarum BGCG11) has been deposited under patent in the Internationally Recognized Collection of Microorganisms (BCCM) of Ghent University. During the project, a clinical study will be conducted, for which the project costs are estimated at 25,000 USD. The aforementioned probiotic is part of the StarTech innovation support program implemented by NALED and financed by the Philip Morris.
Bacteria were isolated from domestic cheeses and domestic products in very specific localities, Vlasina, Golija, Stara Planina. During thirty years of research, they found that these bacteria have very favorable properties that affect people. These are all natural isolates of bacteria from different types of cheeses, yogurts, millerama. They are located in very specific locations, where there is no industry and pollution. And each of those bacteria is good for something, they are not all the same. This bacteria in the new probiotic for alleviating diabetes, is from the surroundings of Herceg Novi, Žanjica beach, was found in cheese in oil made in a family household.
Source: Nova ekonomija