Description
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) encompasses a group of chronic disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, the most common forms of which are ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. These are recurrent conditions for which there is currently no definitive cure; they cause painful inflammation, tissue damage, and a significant impact on quality of life, with symptoms ranging from abdominal pain to fatigue and, in some cases, colon cancer.
According to data published by the project, IBD affects over 6.8 million people worldwide, including up to 3 million in Europe, with an incidence that is steadily rising due to industrialization and urban lifestyles; the project cites a projection of over 8 million cases. Available treatments are limited to alleviating symptoms; they are not effective for all patients, and in some cases, the only option is the surgical removal of parts of the intestine, prompting the search for new naturally derived molecules.
Algae4IBD is based on the hypothesis that aquatic environments—oceans, rivers, and lakes—hold a still largely unexplored potential for health: cyanobacteria, microalgae, and macroalgae produce countless molecules with anti-inflammatory, analgesic, prebiotic, or antibiotic properties.
Results
The project's objective is to develop functional foods and drugs against pain, inflammation and IBD, based on bioactive algal compounds, with a focus on orally administered, low-cost solutions for both adult and pediatric patients. The project covers the entire development chain, from algae cultivation to product formulation, following two parallel pathways: "from nature to plate" for dietary products that prevent the onset of IBD, and "from nature to bedside" for drugs that treat its symptoms and relapses.
The project is coordinated by the MIGAL Galilee Research Institute Ltd (Kiryat Shemona, Israel), with Dr. Dorit Avni as scientific lead. According to official communications, the consortium brings together 21 partners from 11 countries — microbiologists, physicians, food developers and pharmaceutical SMEs — with the stated goal of reducing the time from research to market from 10 to 4 years. The CORDIS record lists 25 participants overall, a difference due to the counting of third parties and affiliated entities.
eLoop S.r.l. (Italy) is a partner in the consortium. In line with the company's profile as a sustainability consultancy, eLoop's contribution focuses on the environmental and economic assessment of processes along the supply chain.
Sustainability is central to the project's production approach: cultivation takes place in photobioreactors with controlled light, CO₂ and temperature to maximize yield while reducing the impact on nature. In terms of expected impact, the project aims to reduce healthcare costs through solutions developed and produced in a cost-efficient way, and to generate economic benefits by increasing the success rate in product development and commercialization.
The project is coordinated by the MIGAL Galilee Research Institute Ltd (Kiryat Shemona, Israel), with Dr. Dorit Avni serving as the scientific lead. According to the official announcement, the consortium brings together 21 partners from 11 countries—including microbiologists, physicians, food developers, and SMEs in the pharmaceutical sector—with the stated goal of reducing the development time from research to market from 10 to 4 years. The CORDIS profile lists a total of 25 participants; this discrepancy is due to the inclusion of third parties and affiliated entities.