Stephen O’Hara, CEO of OptiBiotix PLC LON:OPTI, commented: “OptiBiotix has made significant progress in the last six months in developing its science, building its IP portfolio, and gaining commercial traction with steadily growing revenues from partnerships and products sales. OptiBiotix’s weight management division is now profitable with growing sales of GoFigure products and great consumer feedback and reorders. This announcement provides shareholders with a scientific and commercial update on its cardiovascular product range which has been the subject of multiple ongoing discussions with partners across the supply chain. The aim of these discussions is to ensure OptiBiotix derives the maximum value for shareholders across the broad range of interlinked product opportunities which span both consumer and pharmaceuticals. OptiBiotix believes building the science and IP, and developing the brand across multiple products opportunities creates the potential for risk diversification and high shareholder return.”
OptiBiotix Health plc (AIM: OPTI), a life sciences business developing compounds to tackle obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes and skin care, has given DirectorsTalk a scientific and commercial update.
Scientific Update
OptiBiotix has made significant progress in its scientific programmes to develop compounds which modify the human microbiome to prevent, manage and treat disease. The Company believes these developments have the potential to substantially increase the Company’s value. These include: –
1. Demonstration in human gut models of the ability of its microbiome modulators to increase the growth rate of specific microbial species in the human microbiome. This has now been demonstrated in multiple species, including OptiBiotix’s cholesterol reducing strain (LP-LDL TM)
2. Demonstration in human gut models of the ability of its microbiome modulators to enhance a biological effect, such as cholesterol reduction. In the presence of microbiome modulators, OptiBiotix’s cholesterol reducing strain (LP-LDL TM) showed a threefold increase in cholesterol reduction
OptiBiotix believes that this is the first time that anyone has demonstrated a targeted change in the microbiome leading to an enhanced biological activity and improved health benefit (cholesterol reduction). This creates the opportunity for: –
1. Designer ingredients or supplements which can modify an individual’s current microbiome to improve health
2. Combining microbiome modulators with existing products such as probiotics, a market that is expected to be worth more than $46.5bn by 2020 (Markets and Markets)
The results of these studies will be presented at a Microbiome Summit in November 2016 and in a number of publications in mainstream scientific journals at the start of 2017.
Commercial Update
The publication of results from our successful human cholesterol study and scientific studies demonstrating our products mechanism of action will support the launch of a range of cardiovascular products to reduce LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, and cardiovascular risk, anticipated for the spring of 2017. These studies, once published, provide the scientific evidence for sales and marketing literature to provide product differentiation and support higher margins.
OptiBiotix has been building an extensive IP portfolio, a supporting scientific evidence base, a brand (LP-LDL TM), a range of product formulations, and a supporting manufacturing, distribution and sales structure with partners to support a product launch in spring 2017 and commercialisation of its technology. Christian Hansens recent acquisition of a single microbial strain (LGG) from Valio for US$82m demonstrates the potential value the industry places on a recognised brand (LGG), supporting science and commercial sales.
