Business
Contract signed with Nizo Food Research
Contract signed with Nizo Food Research.
About this update from Optibiotix Health Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n \nRNS Number : 8565R OptiBiotix Health PLC 17 September 2014 \n \n\nOptiBiotix Health plc\n(\"OptiBiotix\" or the \"Company\")\n \nContract signed with Nizo Food Research\n \nOptiBiotix Health plc (AIM:OPTI), a life sciences business developing compounds to tackle obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes, announces that it has signed an agreement with Nizo Food Research BV (\"Nizo\"), the contract food research organisation based in the Netherlands. \n \nOptiBiotix is contracting Nizo to undertake pre-clinical claims support for three proprietary cholesterol lowering Lactobacillus strains that OptiBiotix has developed over the past two years. These strains have shown an ability to reduce cholesterol by between 72% and 81% in laboratory studies. \n \nOptiBiotix has contracted Nizo to assess each strain's manufacturability, gastrointestinal robustness and activity against bile salts, to determine the best strain(s) to enter human studies of its first product, a capsular food supplement, scheduled for 2015. The work carried out by Nizo has a dual purpose of identifying the best strain for this first product, but will also characterise the three strains in more detail. This reduces the cost, timescale, and development risk for future products such as cholesterol lowering yoghurts, fruit juices, vegetable juices and cereal bars. \n \nNizo, which is one of the most advanced, independent contract research companies in the world, works with small corporate food and ingredient companies to develop and produce innovative products for the food and drink industry. Nizo has the largest food-grade pilot plant in Europe and more than 60 years' experience and expertise in product manufacturing. For more information visit: www.nizo.com\n \nStephen O'Hara, CEO of OptiBiotix, commented: \"Pre-clinical claims support is an important milestone in determining which of our three cholesterol reducing Lactobacillus strains is best suited for our first product, and is most likely to lead to a successful outcome in human studies. We expect this work to be completed by the end of 2014 so we can commence human studies in early 2015. This is consistent with our core strategy of creating products with a solid science base validated by human studies allowing us to build a successful and sustaina...