Arm & Hammer Performance Products, part of Church & Dwight’s Specialty Products Division, has received a United States patent for the use of its Evolved Probiotics Limosilactobacillus reuteri 3613-1 in reducing specific pathogenic microorganisms in the urogenital tract.
The company reported in a press release that Patent US 12,318,417 B2 covers the strain’s application in supporting a healthy vaginal environment and may expand options for women seeking dietary supplement solutions for urinary tract discomfort.
At SupplySide West 2025, NutraIngredients spoke with Amy Wescott, manager of operations and supply chain at Church & Dwight Co., Inc., about the strain’s mechanisms and clinical data and the company’s plans for its expanding probiotic platform.
How L. reuteri 3613-1 can fill current market gaps
Recurring UTI is a major driver of consumer interest in women’s health products.
“Fifty to sixty percent of women will have a UTI in their lifetime, and about 26% of those women will have a recurring UTI within a month,” Wescott said. She added that the delay in onset observed in the study may offer a meaningful distinction for some users.
The strain offers multiple antimicrobial outputs, Wescott explained, as it “produces lactic acid, which is great for the vaginal tract for ambition pathogens and keeping the pH low.” It also produces hydrogen peroxide, which “is really beneficial for inhibiting some of the vaginal pathogens present,” she added.
She highlighted the strain’s ability to produce reuterin as its primary differentiator, characterizing it as its “most important and most unique” property. Reuterin, a broad-spectrum antimicrobial compound, is not produced by many women’s health strains currently available on the market.
Supporting data and ongoing research
Wescott reviewed the development process beginning with in vitro assays.
“We were starting to see that we were 90, 95% better at inhibiting these strains,” she said of comparisons to existing L. reuteri options.
A proof-of-concept study was conducted to confirm the strain’s ability to reach the site of action when taken orally.
“I could actually pick up 3613-1 from the vaginal swabs after 14 days of women taking it,” Wescott said.
She said the company has since completed a clinical study evaluating UTI-related outcomes.
“We saw a reduction in the number of UTIs between our control and treated group,” Wescott said. “That was the main focus for the study but kind of an interesting additional piece of data that we found from the study was we saw a significant delay in the onset of UTIs for those that were taking the product.”
The clinical publication is expected later this year.
Scientific strategy and category positioning
Church & Dwight is positioning the strain within a broader evidence-first platform, focusing on ensuring its products “have the full scientific background,” Wescott said.
Her team applies the same approach across its Evolved Probiotics portfolio.
“Our goal is to understand exactly how they work,” she explained, adding that the women’s health space has seen minimal change in commonly used strains. “I think this just gives women something else to choose from.”
Formulation considerations and prototype applications
High-heat processing remains a constraint for the organism.
“It is a Lactobacillus strain, so high heat applications can be a little bit tricky,” Wescott said. She noted that the team is evaluating technological workarounds, including microencapsulation.
As a result, early work is concentrating on low-heat formats such as capsules, powders and stick packs. She pointed to one example: a cranberry lemonade application sachet containing the 3613-1 strain that can be readily added to water, showcased by the brand during the expo.
Pipeline development and future focus
Wescott confirmed additional intellectual property is underway.
“We should have another patent publication, probably two more of them coming out before the end of the year,” she said.
Some of the upcoming strains build on the company’s biotransformation platform. For example, Wescott said that the company has found strains that have the ability to break down certain polyphenols into their smaller molecules that are more bioavailable.
