, /PRNewswire/ -- A randomised, double-blind controlled survey conducted by The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)'s Faculty of Medicine (CU Medicine) showed that SIM01, a CUHK-developed microbiome formula, successfully reduced adverse events successful high-risk individuals specified arsenic aged subjects and diabetics pursuing COVID-19 vaccines. The probe squad besides recovered that SIM01 lowered the hazard of bacterial and viral infections including COVID-19. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing of stool samples confirmed that SIM01 restored a steadfast gut microbiota by expanding beneficial bacteria and reducing harmful bacteria successful the gut.
Research squad members see (From left) Professor Francis Chan, Dean of CU Medicine and Director of the Centre for Gut Microbiota Research; Professor Zhang Lin, Assistant Professor astatine CU Medicine’s Department of Medicine and Therapeutics; Professor Siew Ng, Professor of CU Medicine’s Department of Medicine and Therapeutics and Director of Microbiota I-Center (MagIC); and Professor Martin Wong of The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care astatine CU Medicine.
SIM01 microbiome look restores steadfast gut microbiota
CU Medicine antecedently showed that gut dysbiosis was associated with severity of COVID-19 and its complications. SIM01 was effectual successful hastening recovery, enhancing antibody effect and reducing post-vaccination inflammatory markers. In the existent study, 453 subjects who had received their archetypal dose of COVID vaccine were recruited betwixt 2021 and 2022 and randomly assigned to person either SIM01 oregon a placebo containing vitamin C for 3 months (control group).
"A rigorous, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled objective proceedings and next-generation shotgun sequencing exertion were utilized to measure the effectiveness of the microbiome look successful restoring a steadfast gut microbiota and boost immunity against bacterial and viral infections," said Professor Zhang Lin, Assistant Professor astatine CU Medicine's Department of Medicine and Therapeutics.
SIM01 reduces adverse events from COVID vaccines and improves health
The fig of adverse events 1 period aft receiving the 2nd dose of COVID vaccine was importantly little successful the SIM01 radical than the power radical (2.9% vs 12.6%). Regardless of vaccine type, subjects who received SIM01 besides had little rates of adverse events astatine 3 months (0% vs. 3.1%), 6 months (6.2% vs. 16.9%) and 12 months (5.4% vs. 17.8%) than the power group. The survey besides recovered that the SIM01 radical had amended slumber prime (41.4% vs. 19.3%), much affirmative temper (21.1% vs. 11.4%) and improved tegument prime (14.1% vs. 7.0%) than the power group.
SIM01 reduces the hazard of COVID-19 and different infections
An important uncovering was that subjects receiving SIM01 had a importantly little hazard of caller COVID-19 and different bacterial and viral infections (including dermatitis, sepsis and coiled infections) than the power radical (month 1: 0.5% vs. 5.6%; period 3: 0% vs. 0.6%; period 6: 4.8% vs. 15.5%; period 12: 5.4% vs. 14.4%), suggesting that SIM01 tin boost immunity against different infections.
Professor Martin Wong Chi-sang of The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care astatine CU Medicine said, "Many elderly, paediatric and chronically sick patients stay disquieted about imaginable broadside effects of COVID vaccine. How to efficaciously boost immunity successful these high-risk groups against assorted infectious diseases during the pandemic is besides a large nationalist concern. This ample objective survey has shown the effectiveness of SIM01 successful reducing the hazard of COVID-19 and different bacterial and viral infections.
Restoring a steadfast gut microbiota to combat infection
The probe squad utilized next-generation shotgun metagenomic sequencing to analyse stool samples from 258 radical successful the objective study. The results showed a important summation successful galore bully bacteria and a alteration successful respective harmful bacteria successful the gut aft SIM01, suggesting that SIM01 tin reconstruct a steadfast gut microbiota.
"A steadfast gut microbiota has been associated with little levels of inflammatory cytokines successful the assemblage and reduced hazard of adverse events aft vaccination," explained Professor Siew Ng, Professor of CU Medicine's Department of Medicine and Therapeutics and Director of Microbiota I-Center (MagIC). "We person demonstrated for the archetypal clip that SIM01 tin reconstruct gut microbiota to boost immunity, which is peculiarly important for children, aged subjects and those with chronic illnesses."
Professor Francis K.L. Chan, Dean of CU Medicine and Director of the Centre for Gut Microbiota Research, concluded, "This large-scale, double-blind objective survey is the archetypal of its benignant to harvester objective and laboratory analysis, further demonstrating Hong Kong's beardown aesculapian probe capableness to construe technological findings into innovations that payment society. I anticipation the Hong Kong authorities volition proceed to supply resources and enactment to alteration Hong Kong into a world-leading aesculapian and innovation hub."
The survey was supported by the Health Bureau's Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF).
SOURCE The Faculty of Medicine of The Chinese University of Hong Kong
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