This project has been shortlisted for the DPH 2025 Innovation Prize – Best Scale-Up
Team: Martin Chi-Sang Wong, Francis Chan, Siew Ng, Lin Zhang, Iris Lau and Oscar Wong (Chinese University of Hong Kong)
Outline: We aim to improve population health via modulation of human gut microbiome. We invented several microbiome formulas that could enhance human immunity. These formulas were evaluated in clinical trials to assess their effectiveness to protect people who are vulnerable, including elderly subjects, diabetes patients, sufferers of long COVID, and children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The use of microbiome formulas to enhance immunity through altering gut microbiome is an innovative approach.
Leveraging one of the world’s largest metagenomic database from a leading accredited biobank, our innovation approach combines advances in microbiome multi-omics digital platform with artificial intelligence algorithms to overcome the fundamental limitation of probiotic development. The microbiome formulas are designed and tailored to specific clinical conditions. The idea is new and original as no previous studies investigated the impact of gut microbiome modulation on protection of vulnerable people.
The key objective of this project is to examine the impact of gut microbiome formula on:
- Protecting vulnerable population groups including elderly subjects (aged 65 years or above) and diabetes patients from adverse health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic, including reduced quality of life, poor sleep, low mood, infection, gastrointestinal upset, and immunological reactions;
- Ameliorating significant symptoms among patients who suffered from long COVID, such as fatigue, memory loss, difficulty in concentration, gastrointestinal upset, and general unwellness;
- Alleviating anxiety, sensory hypersensitivity and functional abdominal pain in children with ASD.
These formulas have been shown to modulate gut microbiota and enhance immune responses among these vulnerable groups. In addition, we found that the microbiome formulas were effective to reduce the adverse health outcomes and symptoms in all the above studies, thus exerting a significant impact on patients’ quality of life.
The design of these unique microbiome formulas (SIM01, SCM06) represents a paradigm shift. Among the three objectives listed above, none of the currently available interventions from western medicine or alternative therapies could alter the health outcomes. Therefore, these microbiome formulas are the only evidence-based, scientifically-proven interventions that could reduce various adverse health outcomes among vulnerable population groups. The breakthroughs represent new frontiers in Medicine. Currently, there has been no medicine or other interventions that may reduce adverse health outcomes among these vulnerable people. There has been no cure of long COVID symptoms among adults and clinical manifestations of ASD among children. Patients attending physician consultations may consider to be prescribed with these microbiome formulas which are currently available in the market. The research work could improve population health by informing clinical practice and patient management. The research highlighted the impact of microbiome formulas on influencing various health outcomes. These studies exert long-term impacts on the research landscape by informing future evaluations, such as the effect of microbiome modulation on other clinical conditions not easily treatable by currently available therapies. Based on the gut-brain and gut-skin axis in the human body, it is anticipated that tailored microbiome formulations could potentially improve neurological and skin diseases.
Our studies enabled to upscale a start-up company to two successful biotechnology spinouts with a new frontier for pharmaceutical, healthcare and food industries. The business of the companies rapidly extends to various countries all over the world, and the formulas are widely used by physicians and the general population.
