Exosomm, a biotech start-up located in Jerusalem, is investigating the potential of natural mechanisms found in human breast milk to create a bioactive ingredient capable of helping those with inflammatory disorders. The company’s technology, which isolates exosomes – natural particles in maternal milk that contribute to the healthy development of the immune system – was developed at Hadassah University Medical Center in Israel.
By upcycling byproducts from traditional cheese making methods, Exosomm has successfully produced a potent functional ingredient for medical food. The exosomes in human breast milk are small, contain beneficial microRNAs, and can have a significant impact on child development and future health. The company’s research team discovered that different mammals, including humans, cows, and sheep, share similar exosome compositions, indicating the importance of exosomes in offspring.
“Exosomm’s technology is based on cutting-edge scientific discoveries and is inspired by the virtues of mother’s milk and its unique health properties,” says Professor Shimon Reif, MD, head of the Department of Paediatrics at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem. “We believe adults can benefit from exosomes as a valuable nutrient to help manage chronic metabolic inflammatory disorders and to boost overall well-being.”
Exosomm is further investigating the role of exosomes in managing IBD conditions such as Crohn’s and Colitis through clinical research. Working with Ba’emek Tech, a subsidiary of Tnuva Food Industries and one of Israel’s leading food groups, the start-up is utilizing whey products as raw material and the full commercial technological infrastructure for its progress and scale-up goals.
“One of the challenges was to transform the developed technology into a commercially viable process,” explains Netta Granot, co-founder, and CEO of Exosomm. “It was fundamental to find a facility that could process the whey leftover from cheesemaking in a way that preserves exosomes’ unique set of bioavailable properties. Additionally, it was important to derive milk benefits without overburdening milk production. That’s why we run a circular system that depends only on the whey side stream of the cheese industry.”
In conclusion, Exosomm’s research, and development of a bioactive ingredient derived from human breast milk exosomes is a significant innovation in the medical food industry. There are many potential applications for this technology, and it is exciting to see the company’s progress and partnership with Ba’emek Tech.
