Patent granted on anti-progressive effect on chronic kidney diseases of “FK-23” and “LFK” lactic acid bacteria materials
Nichinichi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Iga City, Mie Prefecture; CEO ＆ Representative Director: Masahiko Morishita, hereinafter, “Nichinichi Pharma”) obtained a patent (Japanese Patent No. 7153274) on the “anti-progressive effect on chronic kidney diseases” of the lactic acid bacteria materials, “FK-23” and “LFK,” on October 5 2022.
FK-23 and LFK are proprietary lactic acid bacteria materials from Nichinichi Pharmaceutical produced by heating the Enterococcus faecalis bacterium and treating it with an enzyme to enhance its functionalities. Orally taken FK-23 or LFK can inhibit the progress of chronic kidney disease (“CKD”), leading to the grant of a shared patent right.
In the actual implementation of this patent application, the CKD model rats were divided into 3 groups with regular feeding (control), FK-23-based feeding, and LFK-based feeding. Each group was allowed to freely consume the designated food for 2 weeks before the CKD onset. At the 8th week of onset, their kidneys were removed for morphological and biochemical analysis, which showed notably less fibrosis in the FK-23 and LFK groups than in the regular feeding group. Additionally, the activation of fibroblast (alpha-SMA-positive) cells that cause the fibrosis was notably controlled in these two groups, with significant inhibition of multiple marker proteins for fibrosis. Meanwhile, the increase of plasma BUN and creatinine, which are common indicators of kidney function, were also significantly better controlled in the FK-23 and LFK groups.
Cited also as a new national affliction, CKD affects 1 out of 8 adults, with the patient population reaching 13.3 million*. The effects of FK-23 and LFK obtained in the rats in the present study should make positive news in such a landscape. *Source: “Clinical Practice Guidelines for CKD 2012” (The Japan Society for Nephrology)
See the patent details below.
■Patent description
Patent number: Japanese Patent No. 7153274
Title of the invention: Chronic kidney disease progression inhibitor
Patentee: Kyoto Prefectural University, Osaka Metropolitan University, Nichinichi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
■Renal fibrosis images and the effects of FK-23 and LFK *The right-most image shows a magnification of the rectangle area image of the group without lactic acid bacteria (regular food)
The areas stained blue indicate progressed CKD with fibrosis caused by destroyed cellular tissues.
Fibrosis is suppressed in the groups fed with FK-23 and LFK versus the group on regular food.
