10 March 2015
OptiBiotix Health plc
("OptiBiotix" or the Company")
Contract signed with NIZO Food Research
OptiBiotix Healthplc (AIM: OPTI), a life sciences business developing compounds to tackle obesity, high
cholesterol and diabetes, announces that it has signed a third agreement with NIZO Food Research BV ("NIZO"), the contract food research organisation based in the Netherlands.
OptiBiotix is contracting NIZO to screen strains of bacteria for the presence of enzymes which produce novel oligosaccharides (carbohydrates that consists of a small number of sugars).
This contract extends OptiBiotix's screening programme on Lactobacillus species to other species of bacteria. In summary:-
· 360 strains have been selected from OptiBiotix's own collection and partner collections
· Strains have been selected to produce sugars with a potential to manipulate the human microbiome in order to manage high cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes
· Strains demonstrating high enzyme production will undergo additional testing to determine enzyme activity and sugar structure
· 10 strains have been included from international commercial partners
This work will help identify non-digestible sugars with the potential to act as calorie free sweeteners, and/or selectively enhance the growth rate of specific microbial strains, species, and genera, to modulate the human microbiome to prevent, manage, and treat disease. OptiBiotix's Head of R&D, Dr Sofia Kolida, is leading this work, with the project expecting to last 5 weeks. Dr Kolida has expertise in using novel sugars and their application as food ingredients.
Stephen O'Hara, CEO of OptiBiotix, commented: "Increasing the number of microbial species is an exciting extension of our existing programme which broadens the range of product and partner opportunities and mitigates development risk. We are particularly pleased that commercial partners have recognised the opportunity presented by this work and have included their own strains in the development programme."
OptiBiotix Health plc |
www.optibiotix.com |
Stephen O'Hara, Chief Executive |
Contact via Walbrook below |
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Cairn Financial Advisers LLP |
Tel: 020 7148 7900 |
Liam Murray / Avi Robinson |
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Hybridan LLP (Joint Broker) Claire Louise Noyce |
Tel: 020 3713 4581 |
Peterhouse Corporate Finance Ltd (Joint Broker) |
Tel: 020 7469 0936 |
Lucy Williams / Duncan Vasey |
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Walbrook PR Ltd |
Tel: 020 7933 8780 or [email protected] |
Anna Dunphy |
Mob: 07876 741 001 |
Mike Wort |
Mob: 07900 608 002 |
About OptiBiotix Health PLC- www.optibiotix.com
OptiBiotix was formed in March 2012 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 NIZO - www.nizo.com
NIZO is one of the most advanced, independent contract research companies in the world and works with both small and multinational food and ingredient companies to develop and produce innovative products for the food and drink industry. NIZO has one of the largest food-grade pilot plants in Europe, and more than 65 years' experience and expertise in product manufacture.
