The campaign will focus on the Kirin iMUSE supplement series, which is built around Kirin’s postbiotic Lactococcus lactis strain Plasma. The ingredient, which won the 2023 NutraIngredients-USA Microbiome Modulation ingredient of the year award, is reported to activate key immune cells called plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), which are key drivers of the immune system and stimulate both innate and adaptive immune responses.
As part of this partnership, the first phase of advertising began on Jan. 1, 2026, with TV commercials and outdoor advertisements in Japan. Kirin plans to launch additional initiatives, including behind-the-scenes footage of the commercial, interview videos and a large-scale project led by Shohei Ohtani to promote “Immune Care.”
Japan-born Ohtani moved to the MLB in 2017 when he joined the Los Angeles Angels. In 2023, he transferred to the L.A. Dodgers. He has been selected as MLB’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) for three consecutive years and four times overall.
“I am honored to be appointed as Kirin’s ‘Immune Care’ Promotion Ambassador and to help raise awareness about the importance of immune care,” Ohtani shared in a press release from Kirin.
“With a growing family and frequent travel for games, I place great importance on immune care to manage my health. I hope that through immune care, more people will become and stay healthy. I encourage everyone to include the Kirin iMUSE supplement series as part of their immune care routine.”
Lallemand Health Solutions, the strategic distributor of the ingredient, welcomed the announcement, stating in a LinkedIn post that this “adds exciting momentum to advancing immune care solutions worldwide.”
LC-Plasma science
The ingredient was developed by Kirin Holdings and Kyowa Hakko and is supported by a portfolio of science, including 15 clinical studies demonstrating its efficacy for immune health support.
Data from a 2016 randomized clinical trial indicated that heat-killed L. lactis significantly decreased the number of cough days and sore throat severity related to the common cold and influenza in young healthy adults (Shibata, 2016). A subsequent randomized controlled double-blind study with 111 participants reported that the postbiotic was associated with enhanced immune response, including up-regulation of antiviral gene expression levels and increased secreted IgA levels in saliva (Fujii, 2017).
There is also a sports nutrition opportunity, with data from studies in healthy athletes indicating that the ingredient may promote exercise performance by supporting the immune system (Komano, 2018 and 2023).
In addition, the postbiotic has been reported to offer skin health benefits (Fujii, 2021 and Tsuji, 2021).
