A Vietnamese Start-up Makes Gut Health Accessible with Super Probiotics
The importance of good gut bacteria has been making headlines as a key to good health. GenaTech, a young start-up in Vietnam, is commercializing an innovative probiotic supplement with digestive-specific beneficial bacteria to help people restore their gut health and fight the detrimental side effects of regular antibiotic use. Gaining IP knowledge was instrumental in launching GenaTech.
As a child, Huong Giang Tran Thi wanted to be a doctor, but she later chose to study biotechnology and became a passionate researcher at the Institute of Genome Research at the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.
She is the founder and Deputy Director of GenaTech Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company. The company, launched at the beginning of 2023 with three colleague scientists and associates Dr. Nguyen Minh Duc, Nguyen Thi Ngan, and Ngo Thi Thuy Linh, was set up to commercialize GenaTech’s first product, GenaCillus, a probiotic supporting the digestive system.
Health Benefits of Probiotics
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that, when supplemented in sufficient amounts in the human body, bring many health benefits, according to Huong Giang. “They keep the intestinal environment healthy by preventing the growth of harmful organisms, strengthening the intestinal bacterial barrier, and restoring beneficial bacteria after pathological processes or antibiotic use,” she explained.
As the population of beneficial bacteria colonizes the gut, probiotics promote an efficient immune system and act as antibacterial agents. According to the researcher, probiotics are known for reducing allergies and cancer risks, preventing hypercholesterolemia, and helping with lactose intolerance.
As many studies show, she said, probiotics influence neurotransmitters in the gut through the gut-brain axis, influencing serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain.
Gut Flora Imbalance
The abuse and arbitrary use of antibiotics are increasing, and regular consumption of hyper-processed food laced with additives and sugar, as well as excessive alcohol consumption, all contribute to an unhealthy digestive system and intestinal dysbiosis. Intestinal dysbiosis describes an imbalance of microorganisms within the intestine, normally composed of various strains of bacteria, fungi, and protozoa. This imbalance results in digestive issues and decreases immune system functions.
GenaCillus - A Probiotic with Yeast
Huong Giang has always wished to make a difference in people’s lives through health products. The four co-founders realized that the few probiotics on the Vietnamese market were not answering customers’ needs.
GenaCillus helps reduce dysbiosis symptoms, including irritable bowel syndrome, but also reduces the impact of hyper-processed food or food poisoning, and heavy alcohol consumption. Children can take GenaCillus from six-month-old and the product is also suitable for pregnant women.
It contains three strains of beneficial bacteria (Bacillus) specifically chosen for the digestive system and some 2,6 billion probiotic spores per 5 ml tube, which makes it the highest yeast content on the market, she said. The Bacillus’ spores, she added, have a thick protein coating, allowing them to resist heat, drought, and, more importantly, digestive acid, so 90 % of them reach the small intestine with intact capacity. The water-based formulation of GenaCillus makes it easy to absorb and facilitates its effectiveness.
Customers can find GenaCillus at pharmacies, clinics, and through authorized distributors, and the company’s Facebook page.
GenaTech registered for a trademark in February 2023, which is pending with the Vietnamese IP Office.
Gaining IP Knowledge Key to Launching GenaTech
As a researcher, Huong Giang had no understanding of IP. Her team’s lab research results did not translate to marketable products. In August 2022, she joined a one-year WIPO mentoring program for Vietnamese Women Scientists in collaboration with the Center for Science, Technology Applications, and Entrepreneurship-Vietnamese Association for Intellectual Women (COSTAS-VAFIW). Huong Giang received personalized guidance from WIPO-commissioned regional and global experts on identifying and harnessing IP and value creation from intellectual assets.
The program was an eye-opener and helped her set up the company. “The training was a catalyst that helped me establish GenaTech,” she said.
Natural cosmetics and Medicinal Mushroom-Based Supplements
In the next five years, Huong Giang hopes that GenaTech, which now has nine staff members, will gain recognition as a reputable science and technology company and that its products will earn the public’s trust and attention. The company also wants to reach the international market through research cooperation and commercialization of products resulting from GenaTech research, particularly through its collaboration with the CAREcovery Lab brand from South Korea in research, development, and sales of natural cosmetic products, she said.
Besides GenaCillus, the company’s research team has released Bioglucurmin, a product line based on Lion’s mane mushroom and nano curcumin to support cancer patients, particularly after chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
