OptiBiotix, a world leader in the modulation of the human microbiome, has signed a supply agreement for its cholesterol and blood pressure-reducing probiotic, LPLDL, with the food division of Galenicum Health, a leading Spanish pharmaceutical group.
OptiBiotix, a world leader in the modulation of the human microbiome, has signed a supply agreement for its cholesterol and blood pressure-reducing probiotic, LPLDL®, with the food division of Galenicum Health, a leading Spanish pharmaceutical group. The agreement will allow Galenicum Special Ingredients to sell Cardiocare™, a nutritional supplement containing the LPLDL® bacterial strain, in Spain, Chile, Peru, and the Middle East.
Cardiovascular disease is particularly prevalent in the Middle East and Latin America, with high cholesterol and high blood pressure (hypertension) widely recognised as significant risk factors. In research conducted by Glenn Gibson, Professor of Food Microbiology, Head of Food Microbial Sciences at University of Reading, OptiBiotix’s LPLDL® probiotic has been found to reduce LDL cholesterol by up to 13.9%, and blood pressure by up to 5.1%.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a growing health problem worldwide, but prevalence in the Middle East is particularly high. The WHO estimated that CVD accounts for almost half of the deaths in Oman and Kuwait, 49% and 46%, respectively. The rate of CVD deaths was also high in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Qatar 42%, 38%, 32% and 23%, respectively. Research has found that patients in the Middle East have heart attacks at a significantly younger age, on average 10-12 years earlier, than their Western counterparts[i][i]. These very high rates of CVD are linked to the increased prevalence of high cholesterol and hypertension in the Middle East, with the prevalence of hypertension ranging from 26% to 50% across the region[ii][ii]. CVD is also the leading cause of death in Latin America[iii][iii], where elevated blood pressure and cholesterol are common[iv][iv].
Stephen O’Hara, CEO of OptiBiotix, commented, “We are very pleased to announce this agreement with Galenicum, which expands sales of LPLDL® into Latin America and the Middle East where high blood pressure and high cholesterol are significant causes of morbidity and mortality. Microbiome modulation using the LPLDL® bacterial strain is not only cutting-edge science, but also a safe and natural way to reduce cardiovascular risk, and the prevalence of cardiovascular disease.”
LPLDL® will be sold as part of Galenicum’s established STOP&GO product range, which is branded as Cardiocare™.
The human microbiome
The human digestive tract contains a complex and diverse ecosystem of trillions of bacteria. Recently, advances in molecular and analytical techniques (metagenomics, metabolomics) have permitted identification and quantitation of species and strains of bacteria that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract, their metabolic activity, and interactions with the human host. These studies have provided greater insight into the role of gut and their metabolites in health and disease.
NIH https://commonfund.nih.gov/hmp/index
Web MD http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/what-your-gut-bacteria-say-your-health#1
About OptiBiotix
OptiBiotix was formed in March 2012 by Stephen O’Hara to develop compounds which modify the human microbiome – the collective genome of the microbes in the body – to prevent and manage human disease.
The aim of OptiBiotix is to discover and develop microbial strains, compounds and formulations, which modulate the human microbiome and can be used as food ingredients and supplements or active compounds for the prevention and management of human metabolic diseases, examples of which include obesity, cholesterol and lipid distribution and diabetes.
OptiBiotix has established a pipeline of microbiome modulators that can impact on lipid and cholesterol management, energy harvest and appetite suppression. The development pipeline is fuelled by its proprietary OptiScreen® and OptiBiotic® platform technologies designed to identify metabolic pathways and compounds that impact on human physiology and bring potential health benefits. These platforms are applicable across a wider range of other human diseases.
About Galenicum Health, S.L
Galenicum Health, S.L. is one of Spain’s leading pharmaceutical groups with an annual turnover of ca. €100 M and a year-on-year double-digit growth. Headquartered in Barcelona, and with offices or market presence across the world, including in the Unites States, Peru, Chile, India, and China, the company has a global reach in pharmaceutical and nutritional markets. Galenicum Health, S.L., has an international reputation for high quality innovative products and was awarded the prestigious European Business Award for “Business of the Year” in 2013/2014.
[ii][ii] Najlaa Aljefree and Faruk Ahmed, “Prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease and Associated Risk Factors among Adult Population in the Gulf Region: A Systematic Review,” Advances in Public Health, vol. 2015, Article ID 235101, 23 pages, 2015. doi:10.1155/2015/235101
[iii][iii] Fernando Lanas, Pamela Serón, Alejandra Lanas, Coronary Heart Disease and Risk Factors in Latin America, In Global Heart, Volume 8, Issue 4, 2013, Pages 341-348, ISSN 2211-8160, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gheart.2013.11.005.
