OptiBiotix Signs Major Supply Agreement for its Microbiome Modulating Cholesterol-Reduction Probiotic

19 Jun 2017 --- Life sciences company OptiBiotix has signed a three-year supply agreement with HLH BioPharma Vertriebs GmbH for its cholesterol-reducing LPLDL probiotic supplement. Research into the LPLDL probiotic, presented at Vitafoods Europe in May 2017, demonstrated that it is a safe natural ingredient which reduces blood pressure and cholesterol, key determinates of cardiovascular risk.

According to the company, the probiotic was found to reduce LDL cholesterol by up to 13.9%, and blood pressure by 5.1%. This research was carried out by Glenn Gibson, Professor of Food Microbiology, Head of Food Microbial Sciences at University of Reading.

Stephen O’Hara, CEO of OptiBiotix, comments, “The development of our LPLDL probiotic product has made cholesterol reduction through microbiome modulation a reality, and we are thrilled to be working with HLH, one of Europe’s leading suppliers to the pharmacy market, on this product. The ability to create designer active ingredients which can modify an individual’s microbiome to improve health places OptiBiotix at the forefront of global microbiome research and product development, and we anticipate many more opportunities for the LPLDL probiotic.”

Microbiome modulators in the form of probiotic supplements, like LPLDL, may be the way forward for managing long-term conditions like cardiovascular disease (CVD). The reduction of both LDL cholesterol and blood pressure is key for managing the risk of CVD. The combination of high blood pressure and cholesterol deposition may lead to the chronic inflammation and hardening of the walls of the blood vessels, which greatly increases the probability of suffering a cardiovascular event. Recent research, presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2016, demonstrated that reducing LDL cholesterol and blood pressure can reduce the lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease by nearly 90%.

The supply agreement grants HLH a non-exclusive license to produce, package, and commercialize products containing the LPLDL strain, and follows HLH’s recent order for 100,000 units of LPLDL. HLH has over 20 years’ experience in the distribution of probiotic and natural products under the brand names Lactobact and Casa Sana and is one of Europe’s leading suppliers of probiotics to the pharmacy market. LPLDL will be supplied as bulk capsules which will be packaged and branded as part of HLH’s market leading Lactobact brand.