MetaboGen’s research focuses on the microbiome and finding unique opportunities that can be developed into the next generation of probiotic products. The bacterial strains we mostly work with right now are anaerobic, which means they are sensitive to oxygen. This makes them very difficult to handle and we have therefore had to develop a production technology that allows the bacteria to survive both during the manufacturing process and in a commercial product. This technology is patented by MetaboGen and is unique.

One of the research areas where MetaboGen has made the greatest progress is within metabolic disease. Here we already have a product in a clinical phase. A safety study on healthy volunteers was carried out with good results last year and we are now preparing to begin efficacy studies, which we are looking forward to starting during 2021.

In the previous year, we also worked with scaling up our processes with regard to both technical capacity and expertise. This work will be implemented in 2021. On the capacity side this includes relocating to larger and more specially equipped premises where we will be able to both conduct tests and produce on a larger scale than today.

We have also strengthened our team with new employees. MetaboGen is still a small company but since we work internationally – and global interaction is increasing all the time – we have placed great emphasis, in addition to looking for skills, to also actively recruit people from a diversity perspective in terms of age, gender and nationality. We are currently seven employees, four women and three men, with five different nationalities. All employees have a scientific and laboratory background but different key skills, within microbiology, bioinformatics, chemistry and clinical product development.

We have made good progress since MetaboGen was founded in 2011. At that time we were pioneers within an area that is today a hot field of research worldwide. Despite this, we are only starting to completely understand the microbiota and how our gut bacteria can contribute to health.

I look forward to yet another exciting year where MetaboGen takes decisive steps forward towards the development of the next generation of probiotic products.