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Gut Microbiota ModulationNCT07882537

STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF L. CASEI DG® (ENTEROLACTIS BABY) IN HEALTHY PRETERM AND FULL-TERM INFANTS.

A study testing Enterolactis Baby® drops in people with Gut Microbiota Modulation, run by Alfasigma S.p.A. at 1 site in Italy.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The goal of this clinical trial was to learn whether giving Enterolactis Baby®, a probiotic food supplement containing Lactobacillus casei DG® (under the new taxonomical denomination: Lacticaseibacillus paracasei DG, CNCM I-1572), to healthy preterm and full-term infants from approximately 48 hours after birth for 28… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 0 to 48 hoursHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Gut Microbiota Modulation
What is being tested?
Enterolactis Baby® drops
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
61 participants
Where
1 siteItaly
Study dates
2 Nov 2018to 9 Jun 2020
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 0 to 48 hours
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Child

Who may be able to join

  • 0-48 hours old;
  • Infants of both sexes with a birth weight ≥1000g;
  • Infants delivered by caesarean section;
  • Written informed consent from the infants' parents/guardians.

Who cannot join

  • Vaginal delivery;
  • Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) (<1000g);
  • Confirmed or suspected systemic infection;
  • Known severe neurological disease;
  • Known severe metabolic disease;
  • Known genetic disease and chromosome disorders;
Show all 18Show fewer
  • Known severe maternal primary or secondary immunodeficiency;
  • Serious malformations (e.g. short bowel syndrome; intestinal occlusion; patency of the arterial duct may be included if asymptomatic and not requiring treatment);
  • Known maternal food allergies;
  • Maternal diabetes (including gestational diabetes);
  • Recent or suspected history of alcohol or drug abuse in the mother;
  • Any severe condition the investigator deems capable of interfering with treatment;
  • Inadequate reliability or presence of conditions capable of resulting in non-conformity or non-compliance of the patient with the protocol.
  • Administration of different probiotics other than the investigational product to the infant following start of the study.
  • Use of probiotics by a breastfeeding mother following start of the study.
  • Only for NBW:
  • Systemic antibiotic treatment or prophylaxis from birth and throughout the duration of the study;
  • Systemic antibiotic treatment or prophylaxis by a breastfeeding mother (of an NBW infant) over the 30 days prior to the trial and throughout the duration of the study.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Italy1 site
  • Neonatology Unit Policlinico Casilino

    Roma, Roma, 00169

Other trials in Italy

About this study

Official title: STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF L. CASEI DG® (ENTEROLACTIS BABY) IN HEALTHY PRETERM AND FULL-TERM INFANTS. RANDOMISED, DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIAL.

The goal of this clinical trial was to learn whether giving Enterolactis Baby®, a probiotic food supplement containing Lactobacillus casei DG® (under the new taxonomical denomination: Lacticaseibacillus paracasei DG, CNCM I-1572), to healthy preterm and full-term infants from approximately 48 hours after birth for 28 days affected the bacteria naturally living in the infants' gut.

The main question it aims to answer is:

Read more

Does taking Enterolactis Baby® for 28 days change the amount of L. paracasei DG found in the infants' stool?

Researchers will compare infants receiving Enterolactis Baby® with infants receiving a placebo to see whether the probiotic affects gut bacteria, bowel movements, colic, growth, and general health.

Participants will:

  • Receive Enterolactis Baby® or placebo twice daily for 28 days, starting when the infant was approximately 48 hours old.
  • Provide stool samples so researchers can measure the probiotic and study changes in gut bacteria.
  • Attend follow-up visits for up to 84 days after the start of the study.
  • Have their bowel movements, growth, general health, and any unwanted medical events monitored during the study.
Read the detailed description

This is a randomized, double-blind, single-center, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluating the effects of early supplementation with Enterolactis Baby®, a food supplement containing Lacticaseibacillus paracasei DG (CNCM I-1572), on the gut microbiota of healthy preterm and full-term infants. The study takes place at the Neonatology Unit of Policlinico Casilino in Rome, Italy.

The planned sample size is 60 infants stratified according to birth weight into normal birth weight, low birth weight, and very low birth weight groups. Overall, the study includes 61 enrolled infants, of whom 60 are randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive Enterolactis Baby® or placebo.

The study product is first administered when the infant is approximately 48 hours old. Infants receive 9 drops twice daily for 28 days. The active treatment provides approximately 2 billion colony-forming units of L. paracasei DG per day. The placebo is designed to be indistinguishable from the active product but does not contain L. paracasei DG.

Stool samples are collected at baseline and at approximately days 10, 28, 56, and 84. Samples intended for molecular analysis are stored at -20°C and transported on dry ice to the Laboratory of Parasitology/Human Microbiome at Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital. Real-time polymerase chain reaction is used to quantify L. paracasei DG in stool. Metagenomic and metabolomic analyses are also performed to characterize changes in the composition and functional activity of the gut microbiota.

Parents or legal guardians record information about stool frequency and consistency in a study diary. Clinical assessments include infant growth, episodes of infantile colic according to Rome IV criteria, treatment compliance, tolerability, and adverse events.

Five study visits are scheduled: baseline at 0 to 48 hours of age, day 10 ±2 days, day 28 ±3 days, day 56 ±3 days, and day 84 ±3 days. The treatment period lasts 28 days and is followed by an 8-week follow-up period. The protocol-planned overall study duration, including recruitment, is approximately 36 weeks.

Being tested
Enterolactis Baby® drops, Placebo
Keywords
L. casei DG, Lactobacillus paracasei CNCM I-1572, Enterolactis Baby, Probiotic supplementation, Gut microbiota, Preterm infants, Intestinal microbiota, Full-term infants, Neonatal microbiome, Stool microbiota, Infantile colic, metagenomics, metabolomics, L. paracasei DG
Medical subject headings
Colic

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Enterolactis Baby® dropsDietary supplement

    Enterolactis Baby® drops containing L. casei DG® (Lactobacillus paracasei CNCM I-1572). Participants received 9 drops twice daily for 28 days, corresponding to 2 billion CFU per day.

  • PlaceboDietary supplement

    Matching placebo administered as 9 drops twice daily for 28 days.

Study groups in NCT07882537
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Enterolactis Baby® dropsExperimentalParticipants received Enterolactis Baby® drops, 9 drops twice daily for 28 days, corresponding to a total daily dose of 2 billion CFU of L. casei DG® (Lactobacillus paracasei CNCM I-1572)
Receives: Dietary Supplement: Enterolactis Baby® drops
PlaceboPlacebo comparatorParticipants received matching placebo, 9 drops twice daily for 28 days.
Receives: Dietary Supplement: Placebo

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Composition of faecal intestinal microbiota in terms of concentration of L. casei DG®

    Bacterial genome count for L. casei DG® at 28th day of treatment using Real Time PCR

    Measured: 28 days

Secondary outcomes (20)
  1. Indicators of dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota (α-diversity and β-diversity) at 28, 56 and 84 days

    Alpha diversity was assessed using the Shannon index to evaluate microbial richness and diversity within stool samples. Beta diversity was assessed using Unweighted UniFrac distance matrices and principal coordinate analysis to evaluate differences in overall gut microbiota composition. Stool samples were analyzed using 16S rRNA-targeted metagenomic sequencing. Comparisons were performed between the Enterolactis Baby® and placebo groups and across study visits.

    Measured: Days 28, 56, and 84 after the start of study product administration

  2. Bacterial genome count for L. casei DG® at 56 and 84 days;

    The concentration of L. casei DG® (Lactobacillus paracasei CNCM I-1572) in stool samples was measured using a strain-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Results were expressed as colony-forming units per milliliter (CFU/mL) and compared between the Enterolactis Baby® and placebo groups during the follow-up period.

    Measured: Days 56 and 84 after the start of study product administration

  3. Number of Faecal Evacuations

    The total number of faecal evacuations recorded during the 24-hour period before each scheduled study visit was assessed by treatment group and assessment time point.

    Measured: Days 1, 10, 28, 56, and 84

  4. Number of Faecal Evacuations by Amount Category on the Amsterdam Infant Stool Scale

    The amount of each faecal evacuation recorded during the 24-hour period before each scheduled study visit was classified using the Amsterdam Infant Stool Scale. Amount was classified using four categories ranging from 1 to 4. Results were summarized as the number of faecal evacuations in each category by treatment group and assessment time point. Higher categories do not necessarily indicate a better or worse outcome.

    Measured: Days 1, 10, 28, 56, and 84

  5. Number of Faecal Evacuations by Colour Category on the Amsterdam Infant Stool Scale

    The colour of each faecal evacuation recorded during the 24-hour period before each scheduled study visit was classified using the Amsterdam Infant Stool Scale. Colour was classified using six categories ranging from I to VI. Results were summarized as the number of faecal evacuations in each category by treatment group and assessment time point. The categories are descriptive, and higher categories do not indicate a better or worse outcome.

    Measured: Days 1, 10, 28, 56, and 84

  6. Number of Faecal Evacuations by Consistency Category on the Amsterdam Infant Stool Scale

    The consistency of each faecal evacuation recorded during the 24-hour period before each scheduled study visit was classified using the Amsterdam Infant Stool Scale. Consistency was classified using four principal categories ranging from A to D, with intermediate categories recorded where applicable. Results were summarized as the number of faecal evacuations in each category by treatment group and assessment time point. The categories are descriptive, and higher categories do not necessarily indicate a better or worse outcome.

    Measured: Days 1, 10, 28, 56, and 84

  7. Change in the Overall Stool Volatile Metabolomic Profil

    The overall stool volatile metabolomic profile was assessed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with solid-phase microextraction. Detected volatile metabolites were evaluated collectively using multivariate analyses to assess differences in the overall metabolic profile between the Enterolactis Baby and placebo groups across assessment time points.

    Measured: Days 28, 56, and 84 after the start of study product administration

  8. Presence of Infantile Colic Based on Rome IV Criteria

    The presence of infantile colic was assessed according to the Rome IV diagnostic criteria. The number and percentage of infants meeting the criteria for infantile colic were evaluated and compared between the Enterolactis Baby® and placebo groups.

    Measured: Study Days 10, 28, 56, and 84

  9. Evaluation of adverse events

    Adverse events were monitored throughout the study. The number and percentage of infants experiencing at least one adverse event were assessed by treatment group. Adverse events were evaluated with respect to seriousness, severity, outcome, and relationship to the study product.

    Measured: From Day 1 through Day 84, with assessments on Days 1, 10, 28, 56, and 84

  10. Number of Participants by Fatty Acid Status in Faeces

    Stool samples underwent physicochemical examination to assess fatty acid status. Results were summarized by treatment group and assessment time point.

    Measured: Days 1, 10, 28, 56, and 84

  11. Number of Participants by Soap Status in Faeces

    Stool samples underwent physicochemical examination to classify soaps as present, absent, not evaluated, or missing. Results were summarized as the number of participants in each category by treatment group and assessment time point.

    Measured: Days 1, 10, 28, 56, and 84

  12. Stercobilinogen Status in Faeces

    Stool samples underwent physicochemical examination to assess stercobilinogen status at each scheduled assessment time point.

    Measured: Days 1, 10, 28, 56, and 84

  13. Number of Participants by Meat and Vegetable Fibre Status in Faeces

    Stool samples underwent physicochemical examination to classify meat and vegetable fibres as present, absent, or missing. Results were summarized as the number of participants in each category by treatment group and assessment time point.

    Measured: Days 1, 10, 28, 56, and 84

  14. Number of Participants by Mucus Status in Faeces

    Stool samples underwent physicochemical examination to classify mucus as present, absent, not evaluated, or missing. Results were summarized as the number of participants in each category by treatment group and assessment time point.

    Measured: Days 1, 10, 28, 56, and 84

  15. Amide Status in Faeces

    Stool samples underwent physicochemical examination to assess amide status at each scheduled assessment time point.

    Measured: Days 1, 10, 28, 56, and 84

  16. Number of Participants by Faecal pH Category

    Stool samples underwent physicochemical examination to classify faecal pH as acidic, neutral, basic, or missing. Results were summarized as the number of participants in each category by treatment group and assessment time point. The categories are descriptive, and their order does not indicate a better or worse outcome.

    Measured: Days 1, 10, 28, 56, and 84

  17. Number of Participants by Neutral Fat Status in Faeces

    Stool samples underwent physicochemical examination to classify neutral fat as present, absent, or missing. Results were summarized as the number of participants in each category by treatment group and assessment time point.

    Measured: Days 1, 10, 28, 56, and 84

  18. Mean Body Weight

    Body weight was measured in grams at each scheduled study visit. Results were summarized by treatment group and assessment time point.

    Measured: Days 1, 10, 28, 56, and 84

  19. Mean Head Circumference

    Head circumference was measured in centimetres at each scheduled study visit. Results were summarized by treatment group and assessment time point.

    Measured: Days 1, 10, 28, 56, and 84

  20. Mean Body Length

    Body length was measured in centimetres at each scheduled study visit. Results were summarized by treatment group and assessment time point.

    Measured: Days 1, 10, 28, 56, and 84

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted20 Oct 2026
  2. Study start2 Nov 2018
  3. Primary completion11 Apr 2020
  4. Study completion9 Jun 2020

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
Randomised, double-blind, monocentric, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Participants were stratified into three groups according to birth weight: normal birth weight (\>2,500 g), low birth weight (1,500-2,500 g), and very low birth weight (1,000-1,500 g). Within each birth-weight stratum, participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive Enterolactis Baby® or placebo.
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
61 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07882537
Sponsor's protocol ID
PSC-DS ENNE 18
Status last verified
Oct 2026
First submitted
23 Sep 2026
Last updated
20 Oct 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No: The study documents do not specify a plan for sharing individual participant data

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Enterolactis Baby® drops in people with Gut Microbiota Modulation, run by Alfasigma S.p.A. at 1 site in Italy.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 18 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 20 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Italy. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Composition of faecal intestinal microbiota in terms of concentration of L. casei DG® (time frame: 28 days). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 20 Oct 2026.

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