The Akkermansia Company (TAC) acquired by Danone

Vives Partners, the managing company of Vives Funds, announced the acquisition by Danone of The Akkermansia Company (TAC), a specialist in biotics and one of Vives Funds’ portfolio investments. Danone will obtain TAC’s biotics strain, Akkermansia muciniphila MucT.

Akkermansia muciniphila MucT is a naturally occurring, patented bacterium in the human gut. It acts as a guardian of the intestinal barrier, playing a role in restoring gut barrier function, reducing inflammation and improving metabolic disorders such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

TAC and its founders, Professor Willem de Vos and Professor Patrice Cani, have played a vital role in advancing this field by discovering, naming and characterising Akkermansia, a well-studied commensal strain. Danone has also been a pioneer in the biotics space, producing fermented foods containing probiotics for nearly 100 years and, during this time, collecting and preserving thousands of strains of bacteria. It highlights TAC as a key asset in bringing Akkermansia to a much broader audience.

In 2021, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) gave approval to pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila for a food application in the EU, the result of two decades of TAC’s in-depth scientific research. Its use is indicative of the evolution in eating trends among consumers who are shifting towards food as medicine for healthier and preventive nutrition.

Vives Partners created The Akkermansia Company in 2016, from its outset bringing together a solid consortium of shareholders, including an €18 million funding in 2018 with two investors, Seventure and Innovation Industries.

“This marks the beginning of a new chapter for our company. We are proud that our innovation will now contribute to improving the quality of life for many people around the world,” said Michael Oredsson, CEO of TAC. “We thank Vives Partners for trusting in our vision and the Walloon Region and the European Investment Bank (EIB) for their support through key funding programmes, which has significantly contributed to accelerating research and development in recent years.”

The sellers were advised by Piper Sandler (exclusive financial advisor) and Baker McKenzie (legal advisor).