Press release

Kaiseraugst, CH, 11 Sep 2018 15:00 CEST

• An innovation in broiler nutrition, Balancius™ is the first and only microbial muramidase that works in the intestine to improve feed efficiency and increase sustainable product yield.
• Its unique mode of action breaks-down peptidoglycans (PGNs) in bacterial cell debris, thus unlocking the hidden potential in gastrointestinal functionality.
• Scientific data demonstrate the addition of Balancius to the diet of broiler chickens consistently improves feed conversion ratio by 4–6 points (3%), demonstrating a significant improvement in digestibility and feed efficiency.
• The launch of Balancius is the latest innovation from the Alliance of DSM with Novozymes, reflecting the strength of its scientific capabilities and ongoing leadership in animal nutrition and health.

Optimizing gastrointestinal functionality through balancing feed composition and the microbiota is crucial to efficient feed utilization in poultry farming¹. Together with its Alliance partner Novozymes, DSM has created Balancius, a naturally occurring muramidase that removes bacterial debris made up of fragments of cell wall from dead bacteria that are released into the intestinal lumen where they may interfere with the intestinal surface^2,3.

Balancius effectively clears this debris through selectively breaking down polymers called peptidoglycans that are structural elements within bacterial cell walls³. Optimizing gastrointestinal functionality through the action of Balancius has the potential to significantly improve efficiency for the feed industry through enhanced digestibility, feed utilization and weight gain^4,5.

“As the population rises, so does the global demand for the production of sustainable food. We, at DSM, are purpose led, performance driven, which means that we consider that it is our responsibility to devise innovative solutions that meet the emerging challenges faced by current and future generations. To achieve such innovations, DSM, in partnership with Novozymes, leveraged its scientific and industrial expertise to improve feed utilization”, says David Blakemore, President Animal Nutrition and Health, DSM.

Today’s announcement is supported by data from 40 international studies that showed the addition of Balancius to poultry feed significantly improved the feed conversion ratio and weight gain. Ongoing trials are currently addressing the potential for the extension of Balancius into other species.

“These results demonstrate that optimizing gastrointestinal functionality through the unique action of Balancius significantly improves feed efficiency and encourages weight gain of broiler chickens. These results have the potential to dramatically improve capacity for sustainable poultry production and translate to significant savings for individual production managers”, explains Sebastian Marten, Vice President Enzymes & Eubiotics, DSM.

“Together DSM and Novozymes have developed a solution that contributes to the growth and welfare of animals by removing bacterial cell debris from the chicken’s gut. No other technology works like this,” says Susanne Palsten Buchardt, Vice President at Novozymes for Animal Health & Nutrition Commercial. “It’s a game-changing innovation based on our 20 year Alliance with DSM.”

To date, Balancius is registered in LATAM (Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico), in the US and in APAC (Bangladesh, Pakistan and India). EMEA will follow soon (mid 2019), after a positive opinion published by EFSA EU in June this year.

About the studies

The data collected from more than 40 studies done worldwide confirm that Balancius supplementation supports the digestive function by fostering nutritional uptake, increasing feed efficiency and thereby contributing to sustained growth^4,5.

^{1) Pan D and Yu Z. Gut Microbes 2014;5:108–19.
2) Novozymes/DSM Alliance: DOF.
3) Klausen M, et al. IPPE, January 2018.
4) Yegani M, et al. IPPE, January 2018.
5) Bittencourt L, et al. IPPE, January 2018.}