CytoSolve® Accelerates Understanding of Relaxation Pathways for British American Tobacco Research Innovation and Harm Reduction Science

Partner Description

British American Tobacco (BAT)
British American Tobacco (BAT) is a global leader in consumer products with an emphasis on innovation and harm reduction science. BAT’s research and development group utilizes cutting-edge analytical, biological, and computational techniques to better understand complex physiological systems. Their focus is on advancing evidence-based innovation, ensuring scientific transparency, and supporting the development of products that aim to reduce harm.

Challenge

BAT sought to gain a deeper understanding of how multiple bioactive ingredients impact the biological systems involved in relaxation and stress modulation. These systems are regulated by highly interconnected molecular pathways, such as neurotransmitter signaling, hormonal regulation, immune responses, and neuromodulatory feedback loops. The challenges faced by BAT were:

  • Interconnected Biological Systems: The biological systems governing relaxation are highly interconnected, and understanding their interactions requires a comprehensive approach that can quantify both individual and combined ingredient effects.
  • Non-linear Interactions: Traditional experimental methods were limited in their ability to evaluate non-linear interactions and the complex combinatorial effects of multiple bioactive ingredients.
  • Scalability: BAT needed a scalable and quantitative approach to assess ingredient effects and optimize formulations without relying solely on in vitro or in vivo experimentation, which can be resource-intensive and time-consuming.

How CytoSolve® Helped

While CytoSolve®’s systems architecture was integral to the methodology, the peer-reviewed validation focused specifically on how the computational approach accelerated BAT’s mechanistic understanding:

  • Pathway Identification and Mechanistic Insight: Through a thorough review of peer-reviewed scientific literature, six key molecular pathways were identified, each playing a critical role in relaxation biology. These pathways included:
    • Gut microbiome–neuroinflammation signaling
    • Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis signaling
    • Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling
    • Neurotransmitter pathways involving GABA and serotonin
    • Catecholamine signaling via dopamine
    • Endocannabinoid signaling centered on anandamide (AEA)
    For each pathway, validated mathematical models were developed, which were then used to analyze the effects of various bioactive ingredients.
  • Mechanistic Validation Through Peer-Reviewed Literature: The models were not only based on CytoSolve®'s systems architecture but were also grounded in rigorous peer-reviewed research. Each of the six molecular pathways was encoded and integrated into the system, preserving their individual roles while enabling dynamic interactions across the full relaxation network. This ensured that the model was not just theoretically sound but also based on existing, validated scientific knowledge.
  • Quantitative Ingredient Screening: Using the in silico framework, BAT was able to simulate the effects of six shortlisted bioactive ingredients across physiologically relevant dose ranges. These simulations provided quantitative data on how each ingredient modulated key biomarkers associated with relaxation pathways. This enabled BAT to evaluate the individual and combinatorial effects of the ingredients in a way that traditional experimental methods could not match.
  • Data-Driven Ingredient Prioritization: The integration of multiple pathways into a single, unified model allowed BAT to prioritize ingredients based on their mechanistic effects on the biomarkers of interest. This was a key benefit, as it provided evidence to support the selection of ingredients that would have the most significant impact on relaxation biology, thereby guiding formulation strategies for optimal effectiveness.

Key Benefits Realized

CytoSolve®’s computational validation approach provided several distinct advantages for BAT in their R&D process:

  • Mechanistic Clarity: By integrating multiple relaxation pathways into a single model, the approach provided clear insights into how bioactive ingredients modulate inflammation, cortisol dynamics, neurotransmission, and neurotrophic signaling.
  • Quantitative, Scalable Screening: CytoSolve® enabled rapid screening of ingredient effects across six interconnected biological systems, offering a scalable approach to ingredient and formulation testing.
  • Non-linear Interactions and Combinatorial Effects: The system provided a deeper understanding of non-linear interactions and synergistic effects between bioactive ingredients that traditional experimental models could not capture.
  • Peer-Reviewed Scientific Validation: The approach was based on well-established, peer-reviewed literature, ensuring that the model’s predictions were grounded in proven science, providing a solid foundation for further research and development.
  • Reduction in Animal and Cell-Based Studies: By using in silico simulations, BAT was able to reduce its reliance on early-stage animal and cell-based experimental studies, saving time and resources while still obtaining reproducible, quantitative data.

Outcome

The peer-reviewed validation case study demonstrated that CytoSolve®’s systems biology platform enabled BAT to gain mechanistic insights into relaxation biology and effectively assess the impact of bioactive ingredients. By integrating six molecular pathways, the collaboration provided data-driven ingredient prioritization and laid the groundwork for future optimization of multi-ingredient combinations. This case study highlights the value of computational screening in R&D, offering a rigorous approach for investigating complex biological phenomena without the need for extensive experimental testing. The ability to simulate and quantify ingredient effects allowed BAT to accelerate its formulation optimization process, strengthening the foundation for future innovations in harm reduction science.

This case study emphasizes the power of CytoSolve® in offering peer-reviewed, data-driven validation of bioactive ingredient effects, ensuring that scientific rigor and mechanistic clarity are at the forefront of product development for BAT’s relaxation-based formulations.