Fabiotics says probiotic PD01 boosts microplastic excretion in mouse and human studies

Fabiotics says its lead probiotic strain DePlastox PD01 cut gut microplastic retention in a peer-reviewed mouse study and improved microplastic-related biomarkers in a registered human trial. The company says the findings could support supplement and functional food developers looking for a science-backed ingredient targeting plastic exposure.

Why it matters: - Fabiotics is pitching DePlastox PD01 as a probiotic with evidence for reducing microplastic burden, a potential differentiator for supplement and functional food ingredients. - The company says the human data could shorten due diligence for brands, formulators and contract manufacturers evaluating new ingredients. - Microplastics have been detected in human blood, placenta and lungs, making exposure reduction a growing health and consumer concern.

What happened: - Fabiotics announced that complete results from a Fudan-sponsored randomized controlled trial of DePlastox PD01 are now public as a preprint on medRxiv. - The trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT07416214. - The mouse study was published Aug. 4, 2026 in npj Science of Food. - Fabiotics says PD01 was previously shown to reduce microplastic clearance in mice and to improve microplastic-related biomarkers in humans.

The details: - The mouse study reported a 57.83% reduction in total gut microplastic load in PD01-treated mice versus controls. - The same study reported a 91.35% reduction in the polystyrene fraction versus controls. - The animal work used a mixed-microplastic dietary model designed to simulate real-world exposure. - The study was co-authored by Fabiotics researchers, Fudan University researchers, the CAS Institute of Urban Environment and the National Health Commission Specialty Laboratory of Food-Safety Risk Assessment and Standard Development. - PD01 is identified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. - Fabiotics says the strain was isolated from a donor with naturally high microplastic excretion. - The human trial enrolled 96 participants and was randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled. - Participants had no dietary or behavioral restrictions during the six-week trial. - The study measured fecal microplastics and urinary plasticizer metabolites. - The preprint reports significantly increased fecal excretion of total microplastics at weeks 3 and 6 versus placebo. - The preprint reports lower urinary plasticizer biomarkers by week 6, with all four measured metabolites down versus placebo at P < 0.05. - Fabiotics says the PD01 group reported no adverse events. - The company says the preprint is the first clinical evidence that human plastic burden can be lowered without dietary or behavioral restrictions. - Fabiotics says PD01 also adsorbed microplastics and reduced translocation in laboratory model systems. - Fabiotics says PD01 differs from many commercial probiotic strains because it came from the human gut microbiome rather than fermented foods, dairy or soil.

Between the lines: - The mouse paper and the human preprint together give Fabiotics a cleaner story for ingredient buyers because the evidence spans both animal and human data. - The strongest human findings are still preliminary because the trial results are posted as a preprint and have not yet been peer reviewed. - Fabiotics is leaning on a research-driven sourcing story, including screening strains from a 138-donor human microplastic-exposure database. - The company is positioning the strain as a platform ingredient, not just a one-off study result.

What's next: - Fabiotics says a peer-reviewed manuscript on the human trial is in preparation. - The company is directing brand and manufacturer inquiries to its research and business development contacts. - Fabiotics says PD01 is deposited as CGMCC No. 30386 and protected by granted Chinese patent ZL 2024 1 1547090.6, with PCT/CN2025/102722 pending. - The company says it continues to work with Fudan University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Urban Environment and the NHC Specialty Laboratory.

The bottom line: - Fabiotics is moving PD01 from preclinical signal to early human evidence, but the headline claims still rest on one mouse study and one unreviewed clinical preprint.