Nualtra
Title
Sarcopenia as a prognostic indicator in patients with cirrhosis and potential for amino acid supplementation as an immuno-metabolic intervention.
Engagement type
Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership
Industry partner
Founded in 2012 by registered dietitian Paul Gough, Nualtra is a medical nutrition company with the goal of creating ‘Better Value, Better lives’ for patients and health care professionals by delivering great-tasting, affordable Oral Nutritional Supplements (ONS). Nualtra is the fastest-growing medical nutrition company in the UK and Ireland for the past seven years.
In 2020, Nualtra was acquired by Ajinomoto Co. Inc., a Japanese multinational food and biotechnology corporation that operates in 36 countries and employs an estimated 34,198 people. Its yearly revenue in 2022 was ¥1.36 trillion JPY or $10 billion USD.
Challenges
Patients with end-stage liver fibrosis or cirrhosis are at high risk of disease-related malnutrition. However, even with dietetic support and dietary adjustments, the symptoms and signs associated with their liver disease including ascites means that compliance with standard nutrition supplements can be challenging due to tolerance. It is known that patients with liver disease can have significant muscle loss which is itself associated with frailty and loss of independence and is linked with disease-related malnutrition. The project evolved through identification of a need to assess the impact of a low volume well tolerated supplement for this population which can target effects of sarcopenia and ideally reduce the life-limiting complications of cirrhosis. This project addresses some of these issues by testing a low volume branched chain amino acid (BCAA) supplement. The nature and volume of the supplement means that tolerance in patients with decompensated cirrhosis and ascites will be less challenging and will allow the patient to continue with their own or dietitian-advised diet while providing an additional support for muscle development and potentially reduce progression of sarcopenia.
RCSI value-added
This project facilitated a novel collaboration between immune-metabolic specialists at RCSI and Prof. Karen Boland at the Department of Gastroenterology, Beaumont Hospital, to develop novel expertise in analysis of muscle mass and the development and assessment of interventions for an underserved patient population with poor prognosis. Prof. Boland has led a number of research studies focusing on unmet needs and patient related outcomes in populations profoundly impacted by disease-related malnutrition including anorexia nervosa, cirrhosis, and inflammatory bowel disease.
This partnership with Nualtra provided an opportunity to develop evidence-based data studying the potential benefits of a low volume supplement to a large population of patients with complications of liver disease.
“Nualtra are delighted to be working alongside RCSI and Dr Karen Boland to conduct and complete research on novel nutrition products in an effort to improve the lives of patients living with liver cirrhosis. Prof. Karen Boland is the principal investigator based in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin and has a passion for improving the nutritional status of patients. It has also been an honour to learn from her expertise as the study progresses. Ajinomoto are one of the world leaders in R&D activities in the production of high grade amino acids and it is a very exciting time to be able to bring this research and innovation to the world of medical nutrition”
–Paul Gough, Company Founder
