AIDP expands prebiotic portfolio with Olygose acquisition

08-Oct-2020 - Last updated on 08-Oct-2020 at 13:56 GMT

Related tags Prebiotic M&A

California-based AIDP, Inc has acquired the core technology and related intellectual property of French prebiotic player Olygose SAS.

The acquisition includes the transfer of patents, manufacturing technology, trademarks, plus pre-clinical and clinical studies, regulatory certificates, and other intellectual know-how, said the company in a release.

Olygose, created in 2009, is best known for its key brands Olygose, AlphaGOS and CravingZ’Gone. The company’s prebiotic ingredients are sourced from sustainable plant-based raw materials, primarily peas.

“This is a key acquisition for AIDP as it expands our prebiotic portfolio and plant-based solutions,” said Mark Thurston, President of AIDP. “We are pleased to bring products based on the Olygose technology to our customers.”

AIDP already offers a range of prebiotic ingredients, such as PreticX xylooligosaccharide (XOS), Livaux (derived from gold kiwi fruit and shown to boost Faecalibacterium prausnitzii), and Actazin (derived from New Zealand green kiwi).

The ingredients & the science

Working with academia and hospitals, Olygose’s ingredients have been the subject of 10 human clinical studies and 14 pre-clinical (in-vitro, ex-vivo and animal) studies, which have resulted in 16 patents worldwide, said the company. The studies and patents focus on cardiometabolism and gut microbiota modulation.

AlphaGOS (alpha-galactooligosaccharides) is described as a plant-based, lactose-free prebiotic that can increase levels of bifidobacteria and modulate SCFAs production (for example, del Carmen Marín-Manzano et al., Foods 2020, doi: 10.3390/foods9070921)

The ingredient is soluble in water, tasteless and slightly sweet. It recently secured GRAS status for foods, beverages and infant formula in the USA, said the company (GRAS notification 896). Safety data supporting the notification include: Kruger et al. Toxicology Research and Application doi: 10.1177/2397847317722828 & 10.1177/2F2397847317716402

CravingZ’Gone is a plant-based prebiotic targeting satiety and weight management, said the company. In two double-blind placebo-controlled studies, CravingZ’Gone was shown to decrease appetite and reduce caloric intake. (For example: Morel et al. Journal of Nutrition, 2015, doi: 10.3945/jn.114.204909.)

New technology

As part of this acquisition, AIDP also secures a new technology on extracting proteins and prebiotics from peas. In addition to the GOS-based prebiotic brands, this allows AIDP to offer a new soluble pea protein with neutral taste, said the company.

This product has great commercial value for vegan functional foods and vegan based protein drinks, shots and other liquid formulations, said AIDP.

“AIDP has been our most effective marketing partner for AlphaGOS during our ramp-up phase, they are the logical choice to bring this technology to full industrial level,” stated François Delbaere, CEO of Olygose. “We are confident in AIDP's success.”