NEW HORIZONS FOR NUTRITIONAL THERAPY
In our established business areas – Consumer Care and Medical Nutrition – we already have a comprehensive range of products that help correct or improve nutritional status that are important – and in some cases – clinically proven to be a vital part of disease recovery or health management.
Now, new opportunities are emerging based upon scientific advances (omics) being made about both the nature of disease and the potential of nutritionally related innovations to directly impact them in a clinically proven way, with a known mode of action. This creates the potential to bring forward innovations with a more direct and clinically proven therapeutic impact. That’s why we set up an additional business area: Novel Therapeutic Nutrition.
In Consumer Care we offer a range of nutritional solutions for general health concerns or specific health conditions following self-diagnosis or guidance from healthcare professionals. Through retail and pharmacy channels these nutritional solutions are directly accessible to consumers and available without a prescription. It’s a fast growing area as people are increasingly health aware, with access to the knowledge about nutritional needs related to healthy and active ageing.
Our Medical Nutrition range covers specific dietary needs of patients suffering from illnesses or specific disease states. We are addressing nutritional needs associated with a number of categories; Inborn Errors of Metabolism, Paediatric Care & food allergy, Acute Care (including critically ill, swallowing disorders and cancer), as well as Metabolic and Obesity care. Our Medical Nutrition products are recommended by healthcare professional and used in hospitals, nursing homes, and in home care.
In Novel Therapeutic Nutrition we are investing in companies with a range of nutrient-based technology platforms aiming to bring forward clinically proven innovations, initially in the areas of brain and gastrointestinal health. In brain health and Alzheimer’s disease for example, we are supporting further clinical trials of a product, which helps the brain to process glucose needed for effective brain function.
And in gastrointestinal health, one of our initiatives is to invest in the development of microbiome therapeutics. These have the potential to address the underlying causes of many types of diseases by restoring the gut microbiota to a healthy state. This healthy state can be disrupted by different health conditions such as trauma or even drugs.
Nestlé Health Science is a new, innovative and fundamentally different type of company: we are a health science company focused upon advancing nutritional therapy to change the course of health – for people, patients and our partners in healthcare. It’s a compelling opportunity.
