Menopause-relief probiotic launches in Danish pharmacies, marking commercialization of state-backed research; jointly developed by Korea University and Cell Biotech

Research outcomes from a probiotic developed for women's menopause relief, supported by the Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in Food, Agriculture and Forestry. [Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in Food, Agriculture and Forestry]
Research outcomes from a probiotic developed for women's menopause relief, supported by the Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in Food, Agriculture and Forestry. [Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in Food, Agriculture and Forestry]

A probiotic strain developed by Korean researchers with government R&D funding to help relieve menopause symptoms has entered the Danish market — a country widely regarded as the home of probiotics. The product's commercial launch abroad is being cited as a model case of domestic food R&D moving beyond academic publication to real-world commercialization.

The Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in Food, Agriculture and Forestry announced Friday that DUOLAC Meno Pro, a menopause-relief probiotic jointly developed by a research team from Korea University and Cell Biotech under the institute's High Value-added Food Technology Development project, has gone on sale at pharmacies in Denmark.

The product combines Cell Biotech's patented probiotic strain CBT-LGA1 with soy isoflavones, a plant-based estrogen compound. In animal studies, the research team confirmed improvements across a range of menopause-related indicators, including weight reduction, suppression of fat accumulation, increased bone density, improved vascular health and elevated neurotransmitter levels.

The findings were published in the international journal Nutrients, and the team filed an international patent application under the Patent Cooperation Treaty to secure the underlying technology.

The product incorporates Cell Biotech's dual-coating technology, which the company said enhances probiotic survival in the presence of gastric acid and bile, achieving intestinal viability up to 221 times higher than that of uncoated products.

The institute described the case as a prime example of government-backed food R&D translating into overseas market entry and commercialization. Cell Biotech currently exports to 55 countries and plans to use the new product to expand its push into the European menopause health supplement market.

"We will continue to expand R&D support so that the achievements of domestic food companies can lead to entry into global markets and successful commercialization," said Park Hong-jae, president of the institute.


adastra@heraldcorp.com