The Muscle Mag
The startup, founded as a spinoff of the University of Catania, Italy, is dedicated to creating tailored probiotic strains for specific target populations. These strains are supported by validated dossiers from extensive preclinical and clinical studies and designed for scalability at an industrial level.
Operating on a B2B business model, the company specializes in the nutraceutical and probiotic sectors. Recently, ProBioEtna was chosen by the NutraIngredients Editorial team as a ‘Probiota Pioneer’ and will present their project at the upcoming Probiota event in Milan in February 2024.
A mission
The core mission of ProBioEtna is to develop probiotics with a special focus on women’s health. The team consists of microbiologists, gynaecologists, and technologists, working together to bridge the gap between research and companies. Prof. Cinzia Lucia Randazzo, President, and founding member of ProBioEtna, elaborates on their inspiration and expertise.
The journey
The journey of ProBioEtna began at the laboratory scale, where they isolated strains from the vagina and developed a promising probiotic strain, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus CA15, which is now patented. Clinical studies have shown the effectiveness of this strain in restoring the normal vaginal microbiota.
Strains undergo rigorous characterisation and testing, advancing to preclinical and clinical investigations. Through collaboration with Sacco System, selected probiotic strains are developed and produced at an industrial scale.
Challenges
ProBioEtna faces challenges in the probiotic industry, including the preference for antibiotics over probiotic treatments. The team aims to educate and provide evidence on the benefits of probiotics, emphasizing the importance of personalized probiotic use.
Looking forward
ProBioEtna looks forward to expanding within the sector by developing new blends for different target populations. The upcoming Probiota event will provide an opportunity to showcase their work and discuss future directions.
Tickets for the Probiota event, taking place from 7th-9th February, can be found here.
