Danish start-up Mastitia becomes UAntwerp spin-off

Breastfeeding has numerous benefits for newborn babies, but it can be painful for mothers. One in four mothers develops mastitis, an inflammation of the breast. Danish start-up Mastitia aims to use beneficial bacteria to prevent the condition. The company found suitable bacteria in the University of Antwerp’s biobank.

The World Health Organization recommends feeding babies nothing but breast milk for the first six months of their lives. Over time, however, the breast tissue can become inflamed. Breastfeeding then suddenly becomes painful, causing almost four in ten women with mastitis to stop breastfeeding prematurely.

Antibiotics are often prescribed as a solution. Every year, more than 30 million children are exposed to these medicines through their mothers’ treatment for mastitis. As exposure to antibiotics increases babies’ risk of allergies, immune disorders and other complications, breastfeeding is often discontinued prematurely. The infection can also disrupt the skin microbiome — the community of bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms — around the mother’s breast.

A remedy for mastitis without all these adverse effects is now in development. ‘We’re currently working on an effective, microbiome-friendly alternative,’ says Emilie Glad Bak, Head of Research at Mastitia. ‘In fact, we’re harnessing the protective properties of the beneficial bacteria found in a healthy female microbiome. Our innovation not only helps improve the health of mothers and babies, but also helps combat the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance. The worldwide use of antibiotics is making bacteria increasingly resistant. The livestock industry faces a similar challenge: mastitis is common in dairy cattle and is often treated with antibiotics. Mastitia aims to provide an alternative there too.'

‘It may sound contradictory, but bacteria are the key to fighting bacterial infections,’ continues Mastitia CEO Daniel Hovel Hansen. ‘The right bacterium can help treat the infection in a much less invasive way than a conventional course of antibiotics. That’s why we joined forces with bioscience engineers at UAntwerp, who have extensive expertise in this field.’

​Lactic acid bacteria

One example of this is Professor Sarah Lebeer’s laboratory at UAntwerp, which has already conducted extensive research into the beneficial effects of Lactobacillaceae, a family of lactic acid bacteria also known as lactobacilli. ‘These microorganisms are found in the human body — including in the gut, vagina and mouth and on the skin — as well as in nature, for example on flowers and in bees,’ Lebeer explains. ‘Over the years, we’ve built up a library of more than 1000 unique lactobacillus strains and studied the bioactive molecules produced by these bacteria, which can be used as natural antibiotics, for example.’

This enabled the research group to license the appropriate strain of lactic acid bacteria to the Danish biotech company. Lebeer: ‘We also have the know-how to “tame” the bacteria. Lactic acid bacteria, for example in a pot of yoghurt, begin to smell over time if they’re not kept refrigerated. By slowing down their activity, we can create a more stable product with a longer shelf life. This modification is necessary to secure approval from medicines regulators.’