APC News
UCC Microbiome Spinout Acquired By Novozymes
UCC Microbiome Spinout Acquired By Novozymes
APC wishes to congratulate our long-term collaborators, the PrecisionBiotics Group, on their acquisition by the leading Danish bioinnovation company, Novozymes, in a €80 million deal.
“APC researchers have collaborated very closely with PrecisionBiotics for over two decades on the development of probiotics that impact on human health, such as Alflorex and Zenflore. We are delighted to have been part of this success story for Cork and Ireland and congratulate the team at PrecisionBiotics” said Prof Paul Ross, Director of APC Microbiome Ireland. “When APC was established in 2003, with funding from SFI, PrecisionBiotics (then called Alimentary Health) was our founding industry partner and we continue to collaborate closely with them today. This acquisition is testament to the real impact that good science and quality microbiome-based research can have, not only in terms of human health, but also on economic development at so many levels.”
PrecisionBiotics Group produces probiotics, including Alflorex® and Zenflore®, which can improve gut health in animals and humans. Novozymes is the world leader in biological solutions and the world’s largest provider of enzyme and microbial technologies.
Alflorex®, with the 35624® culture, part of the Bifidobacterium longum family, provides a benefit for people who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome. This strain was isolated in Cork and is currently commercialised as a food supplement known as Alflorex in over 15 countries in Europe and Latin America, and as Align® by partner P&G in North America and Australia. Zenflore® was discovered in partnership with scientists from APC Microbiome-Ireland, and takes advantage of the gut-brain axis to provide stress-reducing benefits.
PrecisionBiotics Group started out as Alimentary Health Ltd, spinning out from University College Cork in 2002 to commercialise intellectual property created from research in microbiology, gastrointestinal medicine and surgery. Since then, it has become a long term collaborator with APC Microbiome Ireland with funding support from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), Enterprise Ireland, the Irish Research Council, the Health Research Board, the European Union and several others sources. This research and knowledge transfer partnership with APC in both UCC and Teagasc has supported PrecisionBiotics’ successful growth to hold a leading position within probiotics for human gut health.
