Cork probiotic specialist extends P&G deal

IRISH BIOTECH group Alimentary Health is extending the terms of its partnership with Procter & Gamble (P&G) as it looks to expand the reach of its probiotic therapies for gastro-intestinal and inflammatory conditions.

The new deal will see the Cork-based probiotic specialist for the first time gain rights to sales of products developed with its research in certain markets.

Until now Alimentary Health has operated as a research company, developing therapies which are then licensed to others, including Procter & Gamble.

Now it will retain the worldwide commercialisation rights for any medical prescription and medical nutrition products emerging from the joint venture with Procter & Gamble – a more consumer goods focused company – retaining the worldwide rights for “over-the-counter” products.

Alimentary Health has been working with Procter & Gamble since the company was founded in 1999, and in 2006 the companies announced a collaboration to deliver the world’s first clinically proven over-the-counter probiotic supplement Align.

“An important part of the collaboration is that we have been doing research and development with them,” says Alimentary Health chief executive Barry Kiely. “We have found this new class of organism which has the potential in managing other conditions outside the gut that are quite inflammatory.”

Dr Kiely said that with both sides now owning the research a decision was taken to “carve out the market between us”.

Probiotics are living organisms, essentially bacteria, normally found in the intestine, which can benefit certain gastro-intestinal and inflammatory conditions.

Separately, Align is about to be launched outside the US through a consumer healthcare joint venture formed between P&G and Teva Pharmaceuticals last year.