ProDigest
Improving Gut Health through Innovative Technologies

Imagine a laboratory tool capable of replicating every nuance of the gut function, processing both food and medicine just as our bodies do, and offering insights that can significantly enhance human health.

This innovation is brought by ProDigest, an expert in the in vitro simulation of the gastrointestinal tract for food, feed and pharma industry.

Its state-of-the-art Simulator of Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME®) is a computer-controlled device with different reactors that accurately mimic distinct sections of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. With precise control over pH, transition time, temperature, enzyme types and microbiota composition, it can recreate physiological and microbial conditions of the whole GI tract to run clinical trials in vitro.

Building on this foundation, ProDigest has further refined its approach by developing high-throughput screening methodologies using small reactors and microtiter plates (i.e. Colon-on-a-plate®). This innovation allows for the simultaneous analysis of multiple samples—bridging the gap between high-throughput screening and detailed mechanistic insights.

Originally designed for young adults, ProDigest has expanded the capabilities of its technology platforms to different age categories (i.e. from infancy to elderly) and to tackle different target populations, from healthy to disease conditions (e.g. inflammatory bowel disease, use of antibiotics, infection of different pathogens, etc). Each simulation is carefully adapted and validated to ensure relevance and accuracy. Recently, the in vitro platforms have been adapted to include models for animals such as cats, dogs and pigs, which aid both the feed and pet industries in developing innovative ingredients for gut health.

The samples generated during these experiments are analysed for microbial community activity, (e.g. SCFA levels, gas or overall metabolomics), microbiota composition and also for gut barrier function by coupling the gut samples with co-cultures of cells, simulating a leaky-gut condition.

Of special interest is the ProDigest’s metabolomics platform, MetaKey®. This platform can be integrated with the in vitro simulations or used independently as a service for analysing various biological specimens such as urine, blood, saliva, feces, tissues and cells.

Traditionally, metabolomics analyses have relied on techniques like liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (LC-MS), which, while effective, are often time-consuming and expensive. MetaKey® employs laser-assisted rapid evaporative ionisation mass spectrometry (LA-REIMS), a cutting-edge technology that significantly speeds up the analysis process. LA-REIMS facilitates rapid, sample-in analysis without the need for prior sample preparation, reducing the time required for analysis to just 30 seconds per sample, compared to the 30-40 minutes typically needed for LC-MS. MetaKey’s ability to perform untargeted fingerprinting helps researchers analyse samples without preselection based on hypotheses, leading to the discovery of significant metabolite changes across different conditions. This facilitates informed decision-making and ensures no valuable insights are overlooked. Specific gut-related metabolite panels are then available for targeted analyses (i.e. neuroactive metabolites, tryptophane metabolism, amino acids, bile salts, etc) via LC-MS.

The synergy between in vitro tools and MetaKey®, with their combined technological advancements, provides a cost-effective solution for both broad screening and targeted analysis. For instance, coupling MetaKey® with ProDigest’s Colon-on-a-plate® allows parallel testing of hundreds of conditions, offering insights into microbial composition, fermentation and microbiome-host interactions within 48 hours, at super competitive prices.

“Integrating -omics data with our internal pipeline from these extensive analyses allows ProDigest to provide nuanced insights tailored to meet specific research objectives effectively. This strategic approach deepens the understanding of the human GI tract and sets the stage for pioneering developments in GI health and disease research,” says Massimo Marzorati, CEO.

This pre-clinical contract research organisation started as a spinoff from Ghent University (Belgium) and has over 15 years of industry experience. Its service excellence is certified by more than 300 scientific publications and by more than 500 clients worldwide for a total of 2000 supported projects.

Ranging from probiotic and prebiotic development to drug formulations, ProDigest’s technology integrates with the animal 3Rs principle, promoting a more ethical approach to research. It ensures impactful discoveries that pave the way for a healthier and sustainable future, contributing to the development of multiple products in the area of precision nutrition and precision medicine.