Not so long ago the gut microbiome was considered a scientific curiosity. Today it’s impossible to ignore. The trillions of microorganisms living in our gastrointestinal tract influence digestion, immunity, metabolism and even mental health. When this finely balanced ecosystem is disturbed, the impact can be significant, contributing to gastrointestinal disorders, metabolic diseases, and reduced therapeutic efficacy.
One thing is now crystal clear: oral drugs and nutritional products can seriously impact our gut microbiome. They enter into a complex and dynamic dialogue with the gut microbiome. And that microbiome, in turn, can shape how a product performs. For developers in pharmaceuticals and nutrition, understanding these interactions is no longer optional: it is essential.
The challenge: real insights without compromises
Studying the gut microbiome sounds straightforward, until you try. Human clinical trials are expensive, time-consuming, and often very limited in scope. Animal models? Useful, but not always representative of human gastrointestinal physiology nor microbial diversity. Hence, too often, critical questions around formulation behavior and microbiome interactions are not addressed or answered (at all). .
So how do you gain true insights on the gut microbiome to enable confident decision making in product development?
Meet TIM Colon: the next best thing
TIM Colon is a service based on dynamic, computer-controlled in vitro models of the large intestine. It recreates key spatial physiological conditions of the large intestine such as microbial composition, pH, temperature, transit time, and absorption. TIM Colon enables researchers to assess the impact of drugs, food products, and ingredients on the colon microbiota without invasive methods or animal testing.
No invasive methods. No animal testing. Just highly physiologically accurate insights.
Use TIM Colon, to:
- Compare, rank, and select formulations early in development
- Identify microbiome-related risks before entering clinical trials
- Generate predictive data that reflects real human digestive physiology far more closely than traditional models
In short, TIM Colon helps turn microbiome complexity into clarity: saving time, costs, and late-stage surprises.
From data to confident decisions
By delivering accurate and predictive data, TIM Colon enables smarter and faster decision-making. It enables formulation development and optimization, de-risking of clinical trials, and confident progression toward product launch.
And for those seeking the full digestive picture, TIM Colon can be seamlessly combined with TIM Upper GI, creating an end-to-end simulation of human digestion, from stomach to colon.
Curious? Let’s talk microbiome
InnoGI Technologies will be presenting during the upcoming Microbiome Times Partnering Forum on March 19th (Day 2) 10:35-10:50 AM, where we’ll show how TIM Colon is advancing oral drug and nutritional product development through dynamic in vitro modelling of the colon and its microbiome.
Discover what TIM Colon can do, explore its diverse applications, and learn how smarter GI simulation can strengthen your development strategy, long before you reach the clinic.
About InnoGI
InnoGI Technologies is a CRO that provides innovative services to the pharmaceutical and food industries, specializing in gastrointestinal (GI) modeling. Our advanced in vitro models simulate the entire human GI tract, offering deep, data-driven insights into digestion, absorption, and microbiome interactions.