New ice cream could lick chemo side-effects

A new medical ice cream developed by Fonterra and The University of Auckland has shown early promise for combating some of the unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy.

The ice cream, known as ReCharge, has started Phase 2 clinical trials in New Zealand to assess its effectiveness against chemotherapy induced diarrhea (CID) and anemia.

The ‘dessert with a difference’ could also reduce weight loss and damage to the immune system during chemotherapy.

Oncology Centres in seven New Zealand cities are taking part in the trial, with recruitment of the 200 patients in the trial already underway.

Volunteers in the trial will undergo a daily regime that includes eating a 100 gram tub of strawberry ice cream containing two active dairy ingredients that combine to address the unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy.

Cancer Trials New Zealand (CTNZ) is currently seeking more volunteers for the trial.

Dr Jeremy Hill, Chief Technology Officer at Fonterra, said the development of ReCharge was the result of linking Fonterra’s team of 350 dairy researchers in Palmerston North with the experts at Fonterra’s ice cream company, Tip Top, and the medical expertise of the University of Auckland.

“We worked through our LactoPharma partnership with The University of Auckland to screen the dairy components for health effects.”

“The two bio-active milk components developed for ReCharge have the unique potential to assist the body in coping with the side effects of chemotherapy.”

LactoPharma is a joint venture between Fonterra and The University of Auckland.

It is funded by Fonterra and the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology, which jointly invested NZ$2 million ($1.45 million) to develop ReCharge in a project led by LactoPharma’s Associate Professor Geoff Krissansen.

“Earlier trials in the laboratory found that weight loss and damage to the gut lining were significantly reduced by the active ingredients in ReCharge. There were also marked improvements to the immune system and blood markers,” said Associate Professor Krissansen.

The patient trials have been approved by the Ministry of Health and the New Zealand Health and Disability Ethics Committee, with outcomes of the trial expected to be known in about a year.