Gut biology and Probiotic microorganisms in Food - Patent and Technology Report - Key players, innovators and industry analysis

Published by: Dolcera Corporation

Published: Nov. 17, 2011 - 61 Pages

Table of Contents

1. Executive Summary

2. Introduction to probiotics

2.1. Definitions

2.2. Science behind probiotics

2.3. Health benefits of probiotics

3. Patent search strategy

4. Sample patent analysis

5. Taxonomy of assignees based on products

6. Key findings

6.1. Patent ranking

6.2. List of top cited patents

6.3. Key patents

7. Patent to product mapping for probiotic microorganisms in food

7.1. Major players

7.2. IP activity

7.2.1. Based on publication year

7.2.2. Based on priority year

7.3. Geographical activity

7.3.1. Based on basic patents

7.3.2. Including family members

7.4. Conclusion

7.5. Scientific information

7.6. IP information

8. References

9. Appendix A: Control patents

10. Appendix B: Relevant class code definition

10.1. IPC class codes

10.2. US Class codes

10.3. Japanese F-Terms

11. Appendix C: Concept table

12. Appendix D: Patent search strategy

List of Figures

Figure 1 - Probiotic microorganisms

Figure 2 - Criteria for classifying a microbe as Probiotic in human

Figure 3 - Health benefits of probiotics

Figure 4 -Taxonomy of assignees

Figure 5 - Top cited patents

Figure 6 - Major players

Figure 7 - IP activity: Publication year-wise

Figure 8 - IP activity: Priority year-wise

Figure 9 - Geographical distribution of patents

Figure 10 - Geographical distribution of patent family members

List of Tables

Table 1 - Sample analysis of patents

Table 2 - Patent ranking

Table 3 - Patent to product mapping

Table 4 - Control patents

Abstract

Are probiotic microorganisms the new drugs? The surge in the number of scientific articles and patents in recent times, on microbes that confer health benefits when consumed, definitely hints so.

Etymologically, the term probiotic appears to be a composite of the Latin preposition pro (for) and the Greek adjective ß??t???? (biotic), the latter deriving from the noun ß??? (bios, life) [Miller et al British Journal of Nutrition, 2003]. Lilly and Stillwell coined the term probiotic in 1965 and defined it as a substance produced by one microorganism stimulating the growth of another microorganism and understood a probiotic as opposite to an antibiotic [Rusch,2002].Over the course of time, various definitions of probiotics have surfaced and the internationally adopted FAO/WHO definition was coined in 2001 which describes probiotics as Live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host

Latest research in medicine has focused on using micro organisms for preventing and treating various diseases and disorders and to improve the general health of living beings. Probiotics for general health (yoghurt) is not a new concept, but probiotics with therapeutic properties is an aspect gaining momentum in the light of increasing need to go natural for cure.

The human ‘metagenome’ is a composite of Homo sapiens genes and genes present in the genomes of the trillions of microbes that colonize our adult bodies (the ‘microbiome’). An estimated 10-100 trillion organisms reside in the human gut (the gut microbiota). Almost all living beings with digestive tracts (insects, birds, mammals) have metagenomes and microbiota unique to each creature in the gut.

The gut microbiome encodes metabolic capacities that remain largely unexplored but include the degradation of otherwise indigestible components of our diet. Scientific studies have revealed linkages between distal gut microbial ecology, microbial community gene content, and host immunity [June L Round et al Nature Reviews Immunology, 2009]. Other studies have also demonstrated links between microbial ecology and various metabolic disorders [Ping Li et al Nature, 2010] such as obesity, inflammatory diseases, and diabetes [Vijay kumar et al Science, 2010].

Articles in reputed journals [Turnbaugh et al Nature, 2007] [Wei Ja et al Nature, 2008] refer to the microbiota and microbiome, as suitable targets for developing personalized, preventive and therapeutic medicine. Varying the microbiota of the poultry, livestock and human beings through probiotic food and feed supplements is only scratching the surface of the medicinal and commercial potential of probiotics in the years to come.

Methods of Analysis:

Dolcera report focuses on finding the key innovators and the industry ecosystem through relevant patents, clinical trials and university data encompassing the advances in gut biology and probiotic micro-organisms in food. The relevant keywords used in the search were obtained after an extensive study of relevant scientific articles and patents. Additional keywords were further obtained by searching for the MeSH terms of the relevant keywords. The relevant class codes for the search were obtained from the control patents and keyword based searches coupled with manual search of classification index. Dolcera has retrieved around 2198 relevant patents related to Probiotic microbes, their effect on the consumer and their usage in food, covering 14 countries. The report highlights year-wise patent activity (trend line), geographical distribution of patents along with the key industrial players in the field. Assignees were categorized based on the type of products. . Furthermore, patents have been mapped to commercially available products produced by the respective assignees. The report also highlights different Universities and Research Institutes active in the research of the said technology area, hence pointing out opportunities for Industry tie-ups.

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