Wake Forest University med school research leads to Postbiotics Inc. investment
The gut and its complex microbiome are getting a lot of attention these days as we learn more about how greatly they influence human health. Wake Forest University School of Medicine recently invested in Winston-Salem’s Postbiotics Inc. (PBI), a start-up focused on gut-brain support, age-related disease and clinical microbiome innovations through non-pharmaceutical, therapeutic solutions.
The medical school has extended its exclusive licensing agreement with PBI and now has an equity position in the company. "We believe that Postbiotics brings credible expertise for commercial success in the clinical nutrition space by advancing the science developed at Wake Forest University,” said John Druga, director of new business opportunities at Wake Forest Innovations, in the Feb. 9 announcement. WFI manages intellectual property for the Wake Forest Health System, Wake Forest University and the Advocate Health System.
"Deepening our relationship with Wake Forest University School of Medicine validates applications for medical foods, adds depth and capability to the PBI team, and accelerates sales through faster implementation of strategic business plans" said Robert Anderson, PBI co-founder and CEO.
Postbiotics are, “… derived from non-viable microorganisms and their metabolites [and] have emerged as a promising frontier in functional foods and pharmaceuticals,” the December 2025 issue of Food Nutrition noted. They join the more commonly known prebiotics - plant carbohydrates found in common foods such as garlic, onions, leeks and sweet potatoes - and probiotics, which contain live bacteria.
Postbiotics are formed when probiotics such as those found in active-culture yogurts and dietary supplements are metabolized in the gut. VeryWell Health offers a more detailed description of the three.
All three - prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics - “may represent the next generation of medicines, with the potential to revolutionize the way we treat and manage disease,” according to an overview published in a 2023 issue of MedComm.
Pharmaceutical, food supplement, biotechnology and human and animal-health sectors are paying attention: A 2025 review from the Journal of Molecular Biotechnology cited 2024 data from Future Market Insights showing the postbiotic supplements market, valued at approximately $11 million, is projected to increase to $30 million by 2034.
“It is believed that this projected 200 percent increase in the market value would be propelled by raising awareness about the health benefits of postbiotic products, especially as more evidence has linked overall health with the gut microbiome, as well as the demand for naturally derived products,” the article noted.
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