How the Microbiome can be Affected Positively for Health and Wellbeing

Bayer is a global enterprise and a leader in Consumer Health with over 170 consumer health brands in its innovative global portfolio. Bayer Consumer Health is seeking biome-targeted solutions in the following areas:

• Upper respiratory (UR): Biome targeted solutions for prevention, treatment and/or recovery of UR conditions
• Nutrition: Microbiome technologies and science‑driven propositions for tailored product solutions for everyday health in areas like immunity, healthy ageing, and mental wellness 
• Digestive health (DH): To understand how to translate microbiome diagnostics into personalised product offerings to positively modulate the microbiome and improve/maintain a healthy wellbeing
• Skin: Modelling of skin microbiome interactions and delivery of live probiotics in topical formats

Approaches of Interest

• Identification of novel agents (UR, Nutrition, DH) suitable for non-pharmaceutical consumer use, next generation of probiotic strains and biotics providing precise and targeted health benefits (e.g. gut health, gut-organ axis)
• Identification of technologies or platforms: manufacturing techniques, packaging, formulation technologies, stabilising ingredients, etc.
• In vitro/ ex vivo methodologies or diagnostics ideas to screen and/or validate beneficial agents that can decode microbiome data and individual’s metadata and unmet needs into personalised precise products
• The company is interested in the chemical nature of any beneficial agents including the structure, safety profile, safety testing, and regulatory status

Developmental Stages of Interest

• Creative solutions offering something novel (re-imagining the space) in the field will be prioritised
• Product ideas proposed should mainly be oral and/or topical (only for UR and skin)
• Open to all options with minimum proof of concept, priority to phase I, late preclinical, preclinical, basic research

Submission Information

Non-confidential submission of one page, 200-300 word briefs are encouraged along with any optional supplementary information e.g. relevant publications and patents. 

Opportunity for Collaboration

Bayer Consumer Health is open to a range of collaboration opportunities, with the most appropriate outcome being decided on a case-by-case basis. Example outcomes include licensing assets and research collaborations.