Liquid Probiotic Composition for Recurrent UTI Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant uropathogens and recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) necessitates new therapeutic approaches beyond traditional antibiotics, which pose risks of resistance and ineffective long-term management.
Innovation Solution
A liquid, non-dairy probiotic composition comprising viable lactic acid bacteria, proanthocyanidins (PAC), and optionally mannose, formulated to survive the gastrointestinal tract and establish in the urogenital tract, modulating the microbiota to treat and prevent UTIs and urogenital inflammation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If antibiotics are used to treat UTIs, then infection is eliminated, but antimicrobial resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses probiotic bacteria (Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains) as intermediary organisms that colonize the urinary tract and compete with pathogenic bacteria for adhesion sites and nutrients. This biological competition provides an alternative mechanism to eliminate uropathogens without using antibiotics, thereby treating UTIs while avoiding the development of antimicrobial resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The probiotic composition enables the body's own microbiota to fight infection by introducing beneficial bacteria that naturally compete with pathogens. The live bacteria in the composition colonize the urinary tract and provide ongoing protective action, allowing the immune system and microbiota to work together to prevent and treat UTIs without external antibiotic intervention.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If antibiotic prophylaxis is prescribed for recurrent UTI, then recurrence is reduced, but resistance develops
Solution Approach 1:
The probiotic composition provides continuous protective action through live bacteria that colonize the urinary tract and maintain competitive exclusion of pathogens over time. This ongoing biological defense mechanism replaces intermittent antibiotic prophylaxis with sustained natural protection, reducing UTI recurrence without exposing bacteria to selective pressure that drives resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The body's microbiota is enhanced with probiotic bacteria that continuously monitor and defend against pathogenic invasion. This self-regulating system provides long-term prevention of recurrent UTIs by maintaining a protective microbial ecosystem in the urinary tract, eliminating the need for repeated antibiotic courses.
3Reliability
If probiotic composition is administered, then UTI recurrence is reduced, but formulation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent formulates a composite probiotic product containing multiple bacterial strains (Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1, Lactobacillus fermentum RC-14, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12) combined with prebiotic fibers (inulin, fructo-oligosaccharides) and protective matrices. This composite formulation enhances the stability, survival, and efficacy of the probiotics while providing synergistic benefits through the combination of different functional components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes formulation parameters such as pH, water activity, and encapsulation to protect probiotic bacteria during storage and gastrointestinal transit. By adjusting these physical and chemical parameters, the formulation maintains bacterial viability and functionality while ensuring the product remains stable and shelf-stable, balancing complexity with practical manufacturability.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to liquid, non-dairy probiotic compositions comprising a viable population of lactic acid bacteria, mannose and/or a proanthocyanidin, and medical uses thereof, particularly in treating/preventing urinary tract infection. The present invention also relates to kits comprising a liquid, non-dairy composition comprising a population of viable lactic acid bacteria and mannose.