Expertise for your pet's health
Founded in 2024, ViaLym is a family business that takes up the challenge to improve the bioavailability of nutrients for animals with chronical illnesses.
It all began with serendipity.
It all began in 2021, when the founders, Franziska Roth-Walter and Georg Roth, met a lame horse, a 9-year-old lame mare, called Elixir.
Although the horse was young, she could not be ridden due to arthritis in her elbows and knees, inflammation of the hoof rollers and spavin. In addition, she often had balance problems and fell to the ground, for example when walking on a long rein on firm ground. The founder Franziska Roth-Walter herself had been conducting research in the field of "Nutritional Immunity" in her own research group at the university for over 20 years; had led several clinical studies, had already developed a "human" product and knew that:
Inflammation (if not caused by pathogens) is often caused by deficiencies
Nutrients are less well absorbed when there is inflammation.
So at the end of 2021 she attempted to help this lame mare by providing her the missing micronutrients via her diet and the lymphatic route.
Elixir has been lame-free and ridden since 2022 . And became the catalyst for the founding of Vialym
Latin word means "way" or "path". ; refers to the network of vessels and nodes that transport fluids through the body. They play a crucial role in the absorption of nutrients.
Abbreviation for "lymph", refers to the network of vessels and nodes that transport fluids throughout the body. They play a crucial role in absorbing nutrients.
Backed by real scientists
Dr. Franziska Roth-Walter is a leading expert in immunonutrition.
With 20 years of research experience in this field, including several years spent studying mucosal immunology abroad, she received her habilitation in immunology in 2014.
From 2014 to 2024, Franziska led the Applied Immunonutrition Group at the Messerli Research Institute, focusing her research on the connection between diet, the environment, and the immune system.
Her work has explored how food can impact our immune response.
She has specifically investigated the link between iron deficiency and allergies, as well as the role of nutritional immunity in exacerbating symptoms.
This research has led to the development of a whey-based nutritional supplement designed to address micronutrient deficiencies in people with allergies.
Through ViaLym, Dr. Franziska Roth-Walter is now applying her expertise to pets. ViaLym is developing nutritional solutions to support pets, when inflammation is present.
Currently, a clinical trial in dogs is underway to test the effectiveness of this approach.
Dr. Roth-Walter had the honor to be appointed in the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) as Secretary General of the Working Group on Immunomodulation and Nutrition (2022-2024) and being part of the expert panel for the upcoming immunonutrition guidelines.
