Spanish firm wins cholesterol-lowering probiotic patent

Blend captures, "dietary cholesterol in its membrane”.

Spanish start-up AB-Biotics has been granted a composition patent linking its Lactobacillus plantarum blend with cholesterol reduction in Europe.

The European Patent Office (EPO) approved the 3-strain blend in food, pharma and veterinary formulations.

"This patent is a major milestone that allows us to protect AB-Life in one of the most important markets for AB-Biotics: Europe", said Sergi Audivert and Miquel Angel Bonachera, co-founders and CEOs of AB-Biotics.

The patent authorises the formulation to be used with other cholesterol-lowering products such as statins, where dosages can be reduced.

AB-Biotics has licensing agreements in southeast Europe (Inspharma), Germany (HLH Biopharma), Spain and Portugal (Lacer), South Korea (HanAll BioPharma), Mexico (Armstrong Laboratories), Brazil (Biolab) and Venezuela (Leti).

The strains involved in the AB-Life formula are Lactobacillus plantarum CECT 757, CECT 7528 and CECT 7529.

AB-Life can provoke cholesterol levels to fall by between 14% and 18%, according to clinical trial supported by the Ethics Committee of Hospital Puerta del Hierro in Madrid.

The formulation is said to have cholesterol reducing effects by, “capturing and immobilising dietary cholesterol in its membrane”.

It also functions to speed metabolism of bile salts, “forcing the liver to capture blood cholesterol in order to synthesize new salts.”

“This is of particular interest as between 60% and 70% of blood cholesterol isn’t from dietary cholesterol.”

The patent (EP2485743) indicates the blend can benefit hypercholesterolemia and cardiovascular disorders.