Last week’s headlines included China’s new regulations for probiotic health foods, The Akkermansia Company’s new U.S. patent, and IM8’s ‘unconventional’ $1 billion financing deal.
China drafts new regulations for probiotic health foods
China’s State Administration of Market Regulation (SAMR) has drafted new laws regarding the filing and registration procedures for health foods containing probiotic raw materials, which are now open for public consultation until August 24, 2026.
The newly drafted regulations, once implemented, will replace those previously in place known as “Declaration and Review of Probiotic Health Food (Trial)”.
Five main changes are introduced in the proposal, including increasing the minimum colony-forming unit (CFU) during product shelf life and the need to specify the probiotic strains used as well as their functionalities and genetic stability.
The Chinese regulator said the proposed laws seek to ensure strain traceability and quality control.
The Akkermansia Company secures new US patent for metabolic disorders
The United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued The Akkermansia Company (TAC) with a new patent, granting the company the exclusive right to market Akkermansia for metabolic disorders.
The claims of this new patent cover methods of promoting weight loss through oral administration of substantially purified Akkermansia, including both live and pasteurized forms.
This represents a significant expansion of the company’s U.S. patent protection. While previous patents issued to TAC—which was acquired by Danone last year—addressed pasteurized Akkermansia specifically, this new patent extends enforceable protection to all substantially purified forms of the bacterium, including viable live cells.
“These developments recognize and protect years of scientific research that have advanced our understanding of Akkermansia and its role in human health,” said. Professor Willem M. de Vos, co-founder of The Akkermansia Company. “Strong intellectual property protection helps ensure that scientific discoveries can be translated into innovative products while supporting continued investment in research and expanding access to Akkermansia-based health solutions.”
IM8 lands unconventional $1 billion deal to fuel expansion
After landing $1 billion in growth financing from General Catalyst’s Customer Value Fund (CVF), IM8 is entering its next chapter: accelerating international expansion, broadening its product portfolio and building on the momentum of its David Beckham-backed launch.
The financing highlights IM8’s rapid ascent, coming only 19 months after the premium supplement brand entered the market.
“This deal is the best thing that’s ever happened to our R&D budget,” said Danny Yeung, CEO and co-founder of Prenetics, which is headquartered in Hong Kong.
The deal’s unconventional structure has made it one of the most talked-about financings in the supplement sector, shifting IM8’s focus from announcing the investment to explaining how the model will fuel its growth.
“Let me clarify the structure, because it’s genuinely novel,” Yeung said. “General Catalyst funds 70% of whatever we invest in marketing each month, in advance, and we fund the remaining 30% ourselves. The entire $1 billion is dedicated to growth, and that’s precisely the point: This structure exists so that growth capital and innovation capital never compete again.”
