OptiBiotix, specialists 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 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.
CVD 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%.
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 (42%), the UAE (38%), Bahrain (32%) and Qatar (23%). 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.1
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.2
CVD is also the leading cause of death in Latin America, where elevated blood pressure and cholesterol are common.3-4
Stephen O’Hara, CEO of OptiBiotix, said: “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.
References
- www.drinn.in/blog/Prevalence-of-Cardiovascular-Disease-in-The-Middle-East
- 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, (2015).
- Fernando Lanas, Pamela Serón and Alejandra Lanas, “Coronary Heart Disease and Risk Factors in Latin America,” Global Heart, 8(4), 341-348 (2013).
- www.defeatdiabetes.org/rising-hypertension-cardiovascular-disease-latin-america
