Israeli start-up, Exosomm, has harnessed the power of exosomes found in human breastmilk to develop a new bioactive ingredient that has the potential to benefit millions of adults with inflammatory disorders. Exosomes are natural particles that play a crucial role in the healthy development of the immune system and are isolated using Exosomm’s innovative technology. The start-up upcycles by-products of the traditional cheese making process to create this potent functional ingredient.
Exosomm has already achieved commercial production capacity of its patent-protected exosomes for the medical food space. The start-up is targeting medical food brands and food formulas intended for special dietary needs. For example, exosome enrichment can be provided to powdered formulas designed for patients with inflammatory bowel syndrome. The exosomes can also be integrated as a functional ingredient in numerous food and beverage applications such as shake formulas, whey powders, yoghurts or even nutrition bars.
Maternal milk is a key vital resource for infants that provides essential elementary nutrients needed for optimal growth and wellbeing. The benefits of maternal milk have been linked to protection against various diseases, such as infections, inflammation, and obesity, predominantly due to the presence of exosomes.
Exosomm research has revealed the potential role of exosomes in reducing the burden of immune-related disorders in adults, such as Inflammatory Bowel diseases, diabetes, and metabolic disorders. The start-up has so far accrued USD1M pre-seed investment from the Ofek- Galil incubator supported by the Israeli Innovation Authority.
Exosomm co-founder and CEO Netta Granot explained that one of the challenges was to transform the developed technology into a commercially viable process. The start-up wholly employs a natural process, without chemicals, while adhering to all required regulations for food safety and quality.
Exosomm has also collaborated with Ba’emek Tech, a subsidiary of Tnuva Food Industries, Ltd., Israel’s leading food group and producer of fresh dairy products. Ba’emek provides the raw material and the full commercial technological infrastructure necessary for EXOXOMM’s progress and scale-up goals.
