Spanish firm develops probiotics with metal nano particles for tumour treatment

The firm has been developing the formulation since 2011 working with the University of Granada as part of a research project funded by the Agency of Innovation and Development of Andalusia (IDEA).

They say the formulation can also aid mineral uptake in humans including calcium, iron, zinc and selenium and therefore reduce side-effects of mineral treatments.

“The technology developed by Biosearch Life enables the incorporation of magnetic nano particles to the bacteria, making them visible by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging,”​ Biosearch Life said.

“This makes it possible to see the tissues where the particles are located, opening a door to the development of a new generation of oral diagnostic agents and the treatment of tumors.”​

In particular, Biosearch Life worked with Dr José Manuel Domínguez Vera, from the Department of Inorganic Chemistry and the Institute of Biotechnology at the Uni of Granada.

The company noted one of the results of this work was that, “An effective route to incorporate mineral nanoparticles to the peptidoglycan wall of lactic acid bacteria and a bacterium of the genus Bifidobacterium has been achieved, giving rise to new products with extraordinary potential.”​

Biosearch Life was formed by Ebro Puleva in the early 1990s (then called Puleva Biotech) as the company underwent a makeover that saw it
commit to adding value to its dairy offerings with ingredients like omega-3s some of which it developed inhouse and sold to other players.

The Spanish subsidiary of French dairy giant Lactalis has paid €8.28m for a 29.9% stake at the beginning of 2011.