Bactolife’s Binding Proteins support gut health and can benefit people—especially mothers and children—around the world. We are thrilled to continue our journey with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has now committed a grant of USD 2 million towards the development of this innovative solution.
Children’s Gut Health: A Global Challenge
Maintaining healthy digestion remains a significant challenge for children under 5 years of age in low- and middle-income countries. Globally, these issues are among the leading causes of ill health and developmental delays, affecting millions of children annually. While improved healthcare has led to a reduction in mortality, the prevention of these issues has seen limited progress over recent decades.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 1.5 million infant deaths could be avoided if all babies were breastfed. Among those who survive, long-term impacts such as growth delays and health challenges later in life are frequently observed. Infant formula, while valuable in certain contexts, has been associated with higher rates of digestive issues compared to breastfeeding. This is linked to the absence of maternal antibodies and other factors crucial for early immune development.
Binding Proteins: A New Frontier in Gut Health
Bactolife’s Binding Proteins are innovative food-based ingredients designed to support gut balance and overall health. These milk-inspired proteins are selected to interact to bind harmful metabolites in the gut, helping to promote a stable and healthy gut environment. Produced at scale using state-of-the-art biomanufacturing, Binding Proteins can be easily incorporated into regular diets, offering an accessible and affordable solution.
Binding Proteins represent a groundbreaking approach in precision gut health by combining advanced protein science with a low-cost, widely applicable food product registration pathway. This unique combination makes them a scalable and sustainable solution for global markets.
With the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bactolife is one step closer to fulfilling its vision of making effective and affordable Binding Proteins accessible to everyone.
