Launch of Microbiome Center’s First Own Strain: E. coli MC231
Two weeks ago, we celebrated the launch of our very first proprietary strain with a small festive ceremony. This strain, Escherichia coli MC231, was selected from a large set of potential strains and has undergone a development process of one and a half years, including genome sequencing, characterization, development of the production process, and stability testing.
Microbiome Center’s Core Team Celebrates the Launch of E. coli MC231
The E. coli MC231 strain was selected for two main reasons: First, the bacterial species Escherichia coli plays a crucial role in the human gut microbiome. Second, this specific strain is genetically almost identical to the well-researched E. coli Nissle 1917 (also known as Mutaflor©). This means that the scientific evidence supporting E. coli Nissle 1917 also applies to E. coli MC231. However, unlike Nissle, our MC231 strain remains stable at room temperature.
This strain has been extensively studied for ulcerative colitis and has shown, in meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), to be significantly more effective than a placebo and to have a comparable effect to the standard medication 5-ASA (see, for example, 1). These studies also demonstrate a clear anti-inflammatory effect (1). A small study even provides some evidence that this strain may be effective for Crohn’s disease (2), which is rarely found with probiotics. Additionally, there is strong evidence of a beneficial effect on various gut disorders, including diverticulitis (3).
Interestingly, this strain has also proven effective for certain conditions outside the gut. One example is a significant relapse-preventing effect in chronic bacterial prostatitis (4). Another example comes from an RCT with participants suffering from acne, rosacea, or seborrheic eczema, who showed clear improvement compared to the placebo group (5).
The E. coli MC231 strain is now available and has been included in the Advice Aid. More information on the scientific evidence can be found via the “i” icon next to the strain.
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