HMO Nutritional Composition for Allergy Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for nutritional compositions that can induce tolerance to allergens, particularly cow's milk allergy, in infants and children, as existing infant formulas do not effectively address the increasing incidence of allergic diseases and the limitations of breast milk in satisfying the nutritional requirements of all infants, especially vulnerable ones like preterm infants.
Innovation Solution
A nutritional composition comprising specific combinations of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) such as 2′-fucosyllactose, 3′-fucosyllactose, 3′-sialyllactose, lacto-N-neotetraose, and optionally 6′-sialyllactose and lacto-N-tetraose, which are effective in reducing allergic sensitization and inducing tolerance by promoting IL-10 expression, is administered to infants and young children.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If breast milk is used as the nutritional source, then immune system development and allergy prevention are improved, but nutritional requirements of vulnerable infants (e.g., preterm infants) cannot be fully satisfied
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the beneficial HMO components from breast milk and concentrates them into a defined composition (2FL, 3FL, 3SL, and LNnT in specific ratios) that can be added to infant formula. This extraction allows the allergy-preventive properties to be isolated and applied without being limited by the constraints of actual breast milk composition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite nutritional composition by combining synthetic or extracted HMOs with infant formula base. The specific combination of four HMO types in defined proportions creates a synergistic effect that mimics breast milk's protective properties while maintaining nutritional adequacy for vulnerable infants.
2Adaptability or versatility
If infant formula is used as a substitute for breast milk, then nutritional requirements can be satisfied, but effectiveness in inducing tolerance to allergens is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges standard infant formula with a specific HMO composition into a unified product. The HMOs are integrated into the formula matrix at concentrations that maintain both nutritional adequacy and immunomodulatory effectiveness, creating a dual-function product that addresses both nutrition and allergy prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the compositional parameters of infant formula by adding specific HMOs at defined concentrations and ratios. This parameter change transforms a standard formula into an enhanced version with proven efficacy in inducing allergen tolerance, while maintaining all necessary nutritional parameters.
3Reliability
If specific combinations of HMOs are used to induce IL-10 expression, then allergic sensitization is reduced and tolerance is induced, but the complexity of the nutritional composition increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex world of HMOs into four specific, well-defined components (2FL, 3FL, 3SL, LNnT) with established biosynthetic pathways. This segmentation allows for controlled production and consistent formulation, reducing the practical complexity despite the sophisticated biological activity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent defines specific concentration ranges and ratios for each HMO component (e.g., 2FL at 3.8-7.6 g/L, LNnT at 0.38-0.76 g/L) that optimize IL-10 induction while maintaining manufacturing feasibility. These parameter specifications transform a complex biological problem into a controllable formulation specification.
Data Source
AI summary
A nutritional composition comprising the human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) 2′-fucosyllactose (2FL), 3′-fucosyl-lactose (3FL), 3-sialyllactose (SSL), and lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT). The nutritional composition is useful for inducing tolerance to an allergen, and/or speeding up outgrowth of an allergy, and/or treating or reducing the risk of an interleukin IL-10 mediated disease.