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USE OF PROBIOTICS FOR IMPROVING PROTEIN ABSORPTION

Publication No. EP3454676

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App No. EP17730275

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Filed by Alfasigma S.p.A.

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Filed on 2017-05-15

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Issued/Published on 2026-01-07

Official EPO Register

Publication No. EP3454676 A1

Application No. EP17730275 Filed: 2017-05-15

Grant Date 2026-01-07 Mention of grant

Active Oppositions 1 Active EPO Oppositions

Patent Abstract / Summary

Patent abstract is being processed or was not provided in English by the publishing office.

IPC Classifications

A23L33/135, A23L33/17, A23L29/238, A23L33/15, A23L33/16, A23L33/175, A61K35/747, A61P1/00, A61K35/741 A23L33/135, A61K35/741, A23L33/17

Priority Claims

US 201662335926P Date: 2016-05-13

IT 20160083376 Date: 2016-08-08

Designated Contracting States (38 EPC States)

AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

Parties & Representation

Applicants

Alfasigma S.p.A.

Via Ragazzi del '99, 5, 40133 Bologna

SOFAR S.p.A.

Via Firenze, 40, 20060 Trezzano Rosa (MI)

Inventors (1)

BIFFI, Andrea

Via Mulino Vecchio 146, 24059 Urgnano (Bergamo)

Representatives / Agents

Hoffmann Eitle

Hoffmann Eitle S.R.L., Piazza Sigmund Freud 1

Errico, Michela

Bugnion S.p.A., Viale Lancetti, 17

D Young & Co LLP

3 Noble Street, London EC2V 7BQ

Key Procedural Dates

Request-For-Examination 2018-10-24

Mention Of Grant Published 2026-01-07

First-Examination-Report-Despatched 2020-03-31

Legal Status & Event History

Official European Patent Office legal and procedural status changes recorded for this file.

61 Events Recorded

Date	Code	Event Description	Auth
2019-03-20	AK	DESIGNATED CONTRACTING STATES	EP
2019-03-20	AX	REQUEST FOR EXTENSION OF THE EUROPEAN PATENT	EP
2019-03-20	17P	REQUEST FOR EXAMINATION FILED	EP
2020-01-08	INTG	INTENTION TO GRANT ANNOUNCED	EP
2020-03-18	INTC	INTENTION TO GRANT ANNOUNCED (DELETED)	EP
2020-04-29	17Q	FIRST EXAMINATION REPORT DESPATCHED	EP
2020-02-14	GRAJ	INFORMATION RELATED TO DISAPPROVAL OF COMMUNICATION OF INTENTION TO GRANT BY THE APPLICANT OR RESUMPTION OF EXAMINATION PROCEEDINGS BY THE EPO DELETED	EP
2019-12-10	GRAP	DESPATCH OF COMMUNICATION OF INTENTION TO GRANT A PATENT	EP
2019-02-15	PUAI	PUBLIC REFERENCE MADE UNDER ARTICLE 153(3) EPC TO A PUBLISHED INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION THAT HAS ENTERED THE EUROPEAN PHASE	EP
2020-03-27	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2020-02-14	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2019-12-10	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2019-02-15	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2017-11-17	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2017-06-23	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2023-05-31	RAP1	PARTY DATA CHANGED (APPLICANT DATA CHANGED OR RIGHTS OF AN APPLICATION TRANSFERRED)	EP
2023-06-14	P01	OPT-OUT OF THE COMPETENCE OF THE UNIFIED PATENT COURT (UPC) REGISTERED	EP
2025-09-03	GRAP	DESPATCH OF COMMUNICATION OF INTENTION TO GRANT A PATENT	EP
2025-09-03	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2025-10-01	RIC1	INFORMATION PROVIDED ON IPC CODE ASSIGNED BEFORE GRANT	EP
2025-10-08	INTG	INTENTION TO GRANT ANNOUNCED	EP
2025-11-29	GRAS	GRANT FEE PAID	EP
2025-12-05	GRAA	(EXPECTED) GRANT	EP
2025-12-05	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2026-01-07	AK	DESIGNATED CONTRACTING STATES	EP
2026-01-07	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-01-14	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-01-22	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-02-04	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-01-28	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-03-24	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-03-12	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-04-09	PGFP	ANNUAL FEE PAID TO NATIONAL OFFICE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-04-16	PGFP	ANNUAL FEE PAID TO NATIONAL OFFICE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-04-20	PGFP	ANNUAL FEE PAID TO NATIONAL OFFICE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-04-24	PGFP	ANNUAL FEE PAID TO NATIONAL OFFICE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-04-29	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-06-01	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-06-15	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-07-07	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-08	PGFP	ANNUAL FEE PAID TO NATIONAL OFFICE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-10	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-07-10	PGFP	ANNUAL FEE PAID TO NATIONAL OFFICE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-11	PGFP	ANNUAL FEE PAID TO NATIONAL OFFICE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-10	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-11	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-14	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-15	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-16	PGFP	ANNUAL FEE PAID TO NATIONAL OFFICE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-17	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-18	PGFP	ANNUAL FEE PAID TO NATIONAL OFFICE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-18	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-21	PGFP	ANNUAL FEE PAID TO NATIONAL OFFICE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-24	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-25	PGFP	ANNUAL FEE PAID TO NATIONAL OFFICE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-28	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-08-18	VS25	LAPSED IN A VALIDATION STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NAT. OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-10-06	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-10-09	PLBI	OPPOSITION FILED	EP
2026-10-13	VS25	LAPSED IN A VALIDATION STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NAT. OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-10-14	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP

Patent & Non-Patent Citations

Cited documents and prior art referenced in search and examination reports.

9 Citations

Cited Patent Documents

WO2015033305 2015-03-12

Espacenet

US2002090416 2002-07-11

Espacenet

EP2166083 2010-12-22

Espacenet

Non-Patent Scientific Literature (NPL)

- SILVIA BALZARETTI, VALENTINA TAVERNITI, GRETA RONDINI, GIORGIO MARCOLEGIO, MARIO MINUZZO, MARIA C. REMAGNI, WALTER FIORE, STEFANIA: "The vaginal isolate Lactobacillus paracasei LPC-S01 (DSM 26760) is suitable for oral administration", FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY, vol. 6, XP055474499, DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00952

- RESTA SILVIA C.: "Effects of probiotics and commensals on intestinal epithelial physiology: implications for nutrient handling", THE JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY, vol. 587, no. 17, 1 September 2009 (2009-09-01), GB , pages 4169 - 4174, XP093444486, ISSN: 0022-3751, DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2009.176370

- HONG‐QI CHEN, TONG‐YI SHEN, YU‐KUN ZHOU, MING ZHANG, ZHAO‐XIN CHU, XIAO‐MIN HANG, HUAN‐LONG QI: "Lactobacillus plantarum Consumption Increases PepT1-Mediated Amino Acid Absorption by Enhancing Protein Kinase C Activity in Spontaneously Colitic Mice", THE JOURNAL OF NUTRITION, vol. 140, no. 12, 1 December 2010 (2010-12-01), US, pages 2201 - 2206, XP055462514, ISSN: 0022-3166, DOI: 10.3945/jn.110.123265

- AGUIRRE LAURA, HEBERT ELVIRA M., GARRO MARISA S., SAVOY DE GIORI GRACIELA: "Proteolytic activity of Lactobacillus strains on soybean proteins", LWT- FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, vol. 59, no. 2, 1 December 2014 (2014-12-01), UK, pages 780 - 785, XP093444490, ISSN: 0023-6438, DOI: 10.1016/j.lwt.2014.06.061

- KOPP-HOOLIHAN LORI: "Prophylactic and Therapeutic Uses of Probiotics: A review", JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION, vol. 101, no. 2, 1 February 2001 (2001-02-01), pages 229 - 241, XP093444491, DOI: 10.1016/S0002-8223(01)00060-8

- PESSIONE ENRICA: "Lactic acid bacteria contribution to gut microbiota complexity: lights and shadows", FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY, vol. 2, 22 June 2012 (2012-06-22), CH , pages 86 - 86-15, XP093444497, ISSN: 2235-2988, DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2012.00086

Worldwide Patent Family

Related applications and patents in the same INPADOC worldwide family.

17 Family Members

Country	Publication Number	Kind	Publication Date	Action
EP	EP3454676A1	A1	2019-03-20	Espacenet
EP	EP3454676B1	B1	2026-01-07	Espacenet
AU	AU2017263294A1	A1	2018-11-15	Espacenet
AU	AU2017263294B2	B2	2021-05-27	Espacenet
BR	BR112018073401A2	A2	2019-03-19	Espacenet
CL	CL2018003193A1	A1	2019-01-18	Espacenet
CN	CN110191647A	A	2019-08-30	Espacenet
CO	CO2018010950A2	A2	2018-12-14	Espacenet
ES	ES3059996T3	T3	2026-03-24	Espacenet
IT	IT201600083376A1	A1	2018-02-08	Espacenet
MA	MA45327A	A	2019-03-20	Espacenet
MX	MX2018012947A	A	2019-03-06	Espacenet
PL	PL3454676T3	T3	2026-03-16	Espacenet
PT	PT3454676T	T	2026-03-12	Espacenet
US	US2019192590A1	A1	2019-06-27	Espacenet
US	US11400124B2	B2	2022-08-02	Espacenet
WO	WO2017195182A1	A1	2017-11-16	Espacenet

Official File Inspection EPC Art. 128 Public Dossier

Complete European Patent Register Dossier (148 Total Documents)

The full inspection file for Application EP17730275 contains 148 total documents, including all notices of opposition, proprietor counter-statements, examination communications, third-party observations, and procedural forms. Below are all major recorded procedural filings and publication specifications.

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Date: 2025-12-05 Procedure: Grant 0009210

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USE OF PROBIOTICS FOR IMPROVING PROTEIN ABSORPTION

Patent Abstract / Summary

IPC Classifications

Priority Claims

Designated Contracting States (38 EPC States)

Parties & Representation

Applicants

Inventors (1)

Representatives / Agents

Key Procedural Dates

Patent Oppositions

Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.

Legal Status & Event History

Patent & Non-Patent Citations

Cited Patent Documents

Non-Patent Scientific Literature (NPL)

Worldwide Patent Family

Complete European Patent Register Dossier (148 Total Documents)

Recorded Filings & Patent Specifications

European Patent Specification - Granted Patent (B1)

Official European Patent Register Full Dossier

European Patent Application with Search Report (A1)

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