HMO and Nucleotide Formula for Infant Enteric Virus Inflammation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Infants, particularly preterm infants, suffer from unregulated inflammation due to the immaturity of their immune systems, leading to tissue damage and inflammatory diseases, and there is a lack of effective preventative or therapeutic methods for inflammatory conditions such as enteric viral infections.

Innovation Solution

Nutritional compositions comprising human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) and nucleotides, optionally combined with long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs), antioxidants, and carotenoids, are formulated to reduce inflammation and enhance immune response in infants, toddlers, and children.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the immune system is stimulated to fight infection, then pathogen clearance is improved, but unregulated inflammation and tissue damage occur due to immune system immaturity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimmune response effectivenessVSAvoidinflammation and tissue damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Human milk oligosaccharides act as intermediary molecules that bind to pathogen receptors and immune cell receptors, mediating the interaction between the immature immune system and pathogens. This prevents direct harmful interactions while still enabling effective pathogen clearance through regulated immune activation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies the functional parameters of the immune system by introducing HMOs that alter cytokine production profiles, immune cell activation thresholds, and inflammatory response intensity. These parameter changes enable the immature immune system to respond effectively to pathogens without generating excessive inflammation that causes tissue damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional nutritional formulas are used, then basic nutritional needs are met, but they lack the immune-modulating and anti-inflammatory properties of breast milk

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveformula production simplicityVSAvoidimmune protection and inflammation regulation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates composite nutritional formulations by combining conventional infant formula components with human milk oligosaccharides and other bioactive substances. This composite approach maintains the ease of manufacture of conventional formulas while incorporating the immune-modulating and anti-inflammatory properties of breast milk, thereby resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and biological effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Object-affected harmful factors

If HMOs are administered alone, then inflammation is reduced, but synergistic immune-enhancing effects are not achieved

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinflammation levelsVSAvoidimmune defense capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges HMOs with complementary substances such as nucleotides, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, and antioxidants in defined formulations. This combination merges the anti-inflammatory effects of HMOs with the immune-enhancing properties of the other components, achieving both inflammation reduction and enhanced immune defense capability simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent develops composite nutritional compositions that integrate HMOs with other bioactive compounds. These composite materials provide synergistic effects where the combination of substances produces greater immune protection and inflammation regulation than any single component alone, resolving the contradiction between reducing inflammation and maintaining immune defense.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS12594288B2Nutritional compositions comprising human milk oligosaccharides and nucleotides and uses thereof for treating and/or preventing enteric viral infection

Publication Date: 2026.04.07 ABBOTT LAB INC

AI summary

Disclosed are nutritional compositions including human milk oligosaccharides and nucleotides that can be administered to preterm infants, term infants, toddlers, and children for reducing inflammation and the incidence of inflammatory diseases.