Supporting the infant microbiome: Exploring the science of synergistic synbiotics at ESPGHAN 2024

Summary

• Over 5,600 pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition professionals gathered in Milan for the 2024 meeting of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN).
• dsm-firmenich, in partnership with Lallemand Health Solutions, hosted a product theater session titled "Unlocking the synergies of HMOs and probiotics for infant health and development", showcasing their groundbreaking synergistic synbiotic solutions.
• The session highlighted the potential of synergistic synbiotics to support optimal infant gut health and development by combining specific HMOs and probiotics, helping to give all infants the best start in life. 

At the recent European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) 2024 meeting in Milan, dsm-firmenich, in partnership with Lallemand Health Solutions, unveiled a cutting-edge synergistic synbiotic solution combining our GlyCare™ human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) with Lallemand's Expert'Biotic probiotic baby strains to support infant health and development.

ESPGHAN 2024 provided the perfect platform to launch this innovative solution due to the natural alignment between the organization’s mission and our aim to promote a healthy infant gut microbiome to narrow the health gap between breastfed and formula-fed infants. Synergistic synbiotics may help to bring infant formulas closer to the composition and functionality of breast milk – the gold standard for infant nutrition – potentially providing health and development benefits such as immunity, gut health, brain development and metabolic well-being.

Together with Lallemand, we hosted a product theater session at ESPGHAN 2024 on ‘Unlocking the synergies of HMOs and probiotics for infant health and development.’ The product theater session explored research showing that selected combinations of HMOs and probiotic bacteria ingested together can create unique synergies linked to a variety of benefits. Read on to learn more about the role of synergistic synbiotics in supporting the infant microbiome where breastfeeding is not possible.

Synergistic synbiotics: HMOs and probiotics working together to enhance infant health

James Young, our Vice President of Early Life Nutrition, moderated the session, which featured expert speakers Erika Isolauri, MD, PhD, Professor at the University of Turku, Finland; and Sylvie Binda, PhD, Vice President R&D at Lallemand Health Solutions. The speakers delved into the complex interplay between environmental exposures and infant gut health, emphasizing the importance of a healthy microbiome development in the first three years of life.

The first 1,000 days of an infant's life is critical for the colonization and development of the microbiome, laying the foundation for lifelong health and well-being. The session’s speakers highlighted that the most dramatic changes in the gut microbiome occur during the first year of life, influenced by factors such as birth canal exposure (or lack thereof due to C-section delivery), exposure to perinatal antibiotics, and breastfeeding status.

The speakers emphasized that suboptimal microbiome colonization during this critical period can increase susceptibility to health issues later in life. Disruptions to this process can have far-reaching consequences for the infant's health and development. Providing the infant gut with the necessary prebiotic substrates (HMOs) and beneficial probiotic strains, synergistic synbiotics may help mitigate the impact of factors such as C-section delivery, antibiotic exposure and lack of breastfeeding on the developing microbiome.

Synergistic synbiotics can help establish a well-balanced microbiome composition – similar to that of breastfed, non-vaginally delivered and non-antibiotic exposed infants – which is associated with various health benefits. These include improved gut barrier function, which protects against harmful microorganisms; proper development of the infant's immune system; and normal functioning of the gut-brain axis, which influences cognitive development.

Unlocking the synergies between GlyCare™ HMOs and Expert'Biotic Probiotics

Sylvie Binda provided an in-depth look at the synergistic effects of combining dsm-firmenich's GlyCare™ HMOs, such as 2'-fucosyllactose (2'FL) and 3'-sialyllactose (3'SL), with Lallemand's Expert'Biotic probiotic baby strains, like Bifidobacterium bifidum. She demonstrated how specific HMOs can selectively promote the growth of the co-administered probiotic strains, enhancing the overall benefits for infant health and development.

To support these findings, Dr. Isolauri shared methodology for her upcoming clinical trial involving women who receive perinatal antibiotics and their newborn infants (N=100 mother/infant dyads). The intervention group will receive a synbiotic with GlyCare™ HMOs and a Lallemand probiotic for 2 months (n=50), a placebo group receiving maltodextrin for 2 months (n=50) and a reference group of women who did not receive perinatal antibiotics and their newborn infants (N=50).

A clinical trial with potential implications for infant health

Throughout the study, various samples and evaluations will be collected at different time points, including paediatric evaluations, microbiota samples (mouth, nose, feces) from both mother and infant, breast milk samples and mother/infant blood samples. We eagerly await these trial results.

The speakers also presented preclinical and clinical evidence demonstrating how the GlyCare™ HMOs and Expert'Biotic probiotic strains can support the development of the infant immune system, improve gut barrier function, promote cognitive development and contribute to optimal growth trajectories.1,2,3,4

As research continues to uncover the intricate relationship between the infant microbiome and lifelong health, synergistic synbiotics are poised to revolutionize the early life nutrition landscape. By harnessing the power of synergistic synbiotics, infant formula manufacturers can develop products that more closely reflect the composition and functionality of breast milk, empowering parents to provide their babies with the essential nutrients and beneficial microbes necessary for optimal growth, health and development.

Together elevating infant health and well-being

At dsm-firmenich, we know life is healthier when it’s supported from the beginning. Synergistic synbiotics support the development of a healthy gut microbiota during the critical first three years of an infant’s life. This, in turn, lays the foundation for growth and development, contributing to optimal health and well-being from childhood to adulthood.

Delivering nutritional solutions that support happier, healthier outcomes takes more than ingredients. It takes an end-to-end partner. Together, we can elevate the next generation’s potential by building a strong foundation for health and wellbeing in the first 1,000 days of life.