AB-Biotics signs agreement with Lacer to distribute AB-Life in Spain
According to the clinical study carried out by Hospital Puerta del Hierro in Madrid, this probiotic can lower cholesterol levels between 14% and 18%.
BY BIOCAT
Catalan biotechnology firm AB-Biotics has signed an agreement with Lacer Farma for the exclusive distribution rights to probiotic AB-Life in Spain and Andorra, in the pharmaceutical arena. The agreement, which can be renewed after the initial ten-year period, also affords Lacer Farma the right to a preferential option to distribution rights in three other countries in the European Union, also in the pharmaceutical arena. AB-Biotics reserves commercialization rights for itself or potential third parties in the food sector, where this probiotic can be added to products without thermal treatment like dairy products or, using encapsulation techniques, to beverages and juices.
“This agreement will generate value of at least €1.2 millions, which will soon be reflected in the company’s market capitalization,” explained Miquel Àngel Bonachera and Sergi Audivert, cofounders and CEOs of AB-Biotics. The biotech firm’s licensing strategy for AB-Life is based on negotiations with companies that have the best positioning in the cardiovascular market in each country, as is the case of Lacer Farma —the pharmaceutical division of Lacer laboratories — in Spain.
First probiotic cardiovascular therapy
The AB-Life formula, patented by AB-Biotics on a worldwide level, contains living microorganisms whose activity is based on strains of bacteria found naturally in the human intestines. Therefore, as the company confirms, their consumption is innocuous to human health.
The probiotic formula is made up of three strains of Lactobacillus plantarum, which can reduce cholesterol in two ways: first, by capturing and immobilizing dietary cholesterol in its membrane, and second, by hastening metabolism of bile salts and forcing the liver to capture blood cholesterol in order to synthesize new salts. This is of particular interest as between 60% and 70% of blood cholesterol isn’t from dietary cholesterol, which is why products that focus on reducing cholesterol from the diet may not be effective in all patients.