Testing how foods and medications behave during the processes of digestion and absorption is a critical step in the development of these products. Tests allow us to understand their health impacts:
- for foods, tests provide information on nutrient release, the amount of nutrient available to be absorbed by the body, and efficacy of products
- for medications, tests help us understand the rate of drug release from capsules or tablets and their absorption to ensure effective formulations can be developed
To gain this information, one method is to use animals as models in digestion studies. However, there are big differences between animal and human digestive tracts which can hinder translatability. This, as well as ethical concerns associated with animal use in science means that new models have been sought. But current lab-based digestion models are often too simplistic, modelling digestion and absorption separately. This limits the relevance of these models to humans.
Researchers at Newcastle University have tackled this issue head on. They have developed an advanced lab model that more accurately mimics the complexity of human digestion by modelling digestion and absorption together for the first time. The team have shown their model correlates strongly with human clinical data, demonstrating the absorption model’s predictive capability. Significantly, the model does this without the need for animal testing, marking a step forward in our ability to conduct product testing without using animals.
The technology is now on offer through the university spin-out Aelius Biotech. With their technology, Aelius is helping the food and pharmaceutical industries to produce and refine products, and to make decisions about product testing. This doesn’t just mean a cheaper alternative to animal testing for industry. It means quicker delivery of new (and improved) products that can boost public health and the UK economy.
In 2025, the UK government revealed its intention to phase out animal testing faster, highlighting alternative models as being critical to this. Aelius’ technology helps work towards this objective.
From initial research to world firsts
Aelius Biotech was established in 2018 by Dr Peter Chater, Dr Matt Wilcox and Professor Jeff Pearson. Drs Chater and Wilcox, had previously completed their PhDs under the supervision of Professor Pearson, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
The team recognised the increasing demand for lab-based models that could replace animal testing during digestion studies. Aelius Biotech now offers their model technology commercially.
Modelling digestion in vitro (outside a living body), rather than carrying out animal or human studies, provides an early understanding of products, including foods, biologics, medicines or nutraceuticals. This means:
- the use of animals in research is significantly reduced, lessening costs and ethical concerns associated with this
- products that are ineffective at model stage won’t progress to human trials, saving time and money
- efforts can be invested into more promising products, leading to effective products being made available sooner
BBSRC investment has supported Aelius at each stage towards commercialisation. The investment facilitated:
- the initial creation and validation of an early digestion model
- market research into the need for the model
- expansion of the company’s modelling capability
Cutting-edge innovations and world firsts have resulted from this. In particular, the Aelius research team developed the first model that can simulate digestion, mucus permeation and absorption in a single system. As a result, human digestion and absorption can be modelled together in vitro for the first time, which more accurately reflects what happens in the human digestive tract. This is a huge advancement in lab-based absorption testing.
Aelius Biotech Digestion and Absorption Models. Credit: Aelius Biotech Ltd
Aelius Biotech now offer a suite of models, including:
- a digestion model
- mucus modelling, including permeation studies
- an integrated digestion and absorption model
- a microbiome model
- a colon model (ColonKit)
Aelius’ models in action
Together, Aelius’ models can replicate the entire human digestive process from ingestion to absorption. In product testing, they allow an understanding of food, supplement, and pharmaceutical breakdown and stability during digestion. With this knowledge, formulations can be modified so that they enhance or limit absorption, depending on the purpose of the product.
Aelius’ models have now been employed by a variety of companies in the food and therapeutics sectors.
Science-backed bread
Aelius’ technology was initially developed to test the digestive effects of a bread product. In early BBSRC-funded research led by Professor Pearson, the team at Newcastle set out to design bread that could perform the same role as fat metabolism-blocking obesity medications. Such medications work by blocking fat digestion and consequently absorption, allowing fat to be excreted instead, stopping its accumulation in the body. This background made Aelius the ideal company to support their client Modern Baker.
Modern Baker wanted to create a bread that was more slowly absorbed in our digestive systems. This would prevent blood sugar spikes, which can stress the body and increase the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Aelius’ tech could simulate digestion of the bread, allowing researchers to understand how the product was broken down. From this information, Modern Baker was able to refine and optimise their product until they achieved their mission.
Following validation by Aelius’ model, Modern Baker have now launched their product ‘Superloaf’, which is available in supermarkets including Sainsbury’s and Waitrose & Partners.
Reducing sugar absorption
Supporting the company Biolumen, Aelius’ gut models have facilitated product testing of a new dietary supplement called Monch Monch.
Monch Monch essentially acts as a sponge that soaks up (binds to) dietary sugars. This means that not all the sugar is available for absorption. High sugar consumption is linked to health conditions like obesity and diabetes. Soaking up sugars therefore potentially provides a more accessible way of reducing sugar uptake as it doesn’t require a change in what is consumed beyond the addition of the supplement.
Aelius’ models allowed the supplement to be put to the test in a variety of food contexts including differing portion sizes and food types.
The supplement is now on sale in the US.
Satiety product testing
Working with their client Technostics Ltd, Aelius’ models have also been used to explore the effectiveness of weight loss products. Technostics had been developing a satiety inducing drink, to make consumers feel full for longer and aid in appetite control. The product forms a gel in the stomach and Technostics wanted to better understand how the gel behaved throughout its travel in the entire gastrointestinal tract.
Specifically, Technostics wanted to see how the product would interact with foods consumed alongside it. If the drink is likely to be ingested alongside a meal, it is important that this context doesn’t negate the product’s effectiveness. As well as this, the model could also be used to give an indication of how long a consumer would feel full after consumption.
Information from the model is informing the future use of the product in weight loss trials and commercially.
Next steps
Aelius have continued to expand their modelling capabilities with Innovate UK investment supporting the development of a human large intestine model. Model guts for canines and felines are also on the horizon, allowing early testing of feed and therapeutic products for animals too.
By addressing the longstanding challenge in predicting human absorption, the technology has significant relevance to the pharmaceutical industry. These models have the potential to reduce development risk and increase the chance of successful delivery of new medicines. The company is set for expansion into the pharmaceutical market inside the UK, and across the US and Europe, with recent private investment helping them to achieve this.
Find out more
Find out more about Aelius Biotech.
Read more about Aelius Biotech models: the future of gut modelling.
Find out more about the UK government strategy: Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods.