Livingston, United Kingdom & Umea, Sweden, 14th May 2009

Encap Drug Delivery (Encap) and Probac AB today announced that they have entered into an exclusive collaboration agreement to develop an oral probiotic for the treatment of antibiotic associated diarrhoea (AAD).  Both companies intend to build on their respective experience in this area to address the problem of hospital infections which can cause AADs including Clostridium difficile (C difficile).  A neutraceutical / pharmaceutical product will be developed using Probac's capabilities in probiotic development and Encap's expertise in drug delivery.

The project will be part funded by both a Scottish Enterprise R&D grant and Sweden's Innovationsbron AB.

The use of probiotics in the treatment of C. diff and other AADs has been the subject of great interest lately.  Recent studies have shown that by drinking probiotic yoghurt drinks, the incidence of diarrhea symptoms can be reduced.  However, concerns remain about the effectiveness of these products and the number of live bacteria that can survive passage through the stomach to recolonise the intestine.  Encap and Probac intend to create a novel capsule product that will deliver specially selected probiotic strains to the small and large intestine.  Approximately 20% of all hospital patients receiving antibiotic treatment will develop AAD and it is hoped that this probiotic product will help reduce the incidence and severity of diarrhea, the length of stay in hospital and ultimately the mortality rate from severe cases.

Under the terms of the agreement, Encap will perform all development and manufacturing of the product using their patented DuoCap technology.  Probac will be responsible for the supply of selected microbial strains and for conducting a volunteer study to confirm the benefits of probiotic delivery to the lower intestinal tract using this technology.

Once the initial volunteer study has been completed, a partner will be sought to provide funding for a proof of principle clinical study in a hospital environment to demonstrate an acceptable level of efficacy and patient benefits. The partner will also help with subsequent commercialisation of the product.

About Probac AB

Probac was founded in 2005 by Eva Grahn Håkansson, Waldemar Nyström and Essum AB.  Uminova Invest provided initial funding and remains one of the main owners of the company.  Probac manufactures, markets and licenses probiotic products which offer people the opportunity of an improved life. The business resulted from pioneering research work in the probiotic field at Umeå University and Essum AB. Probac offers well documented probiotic strains designed for different applications in provisions and pharmaceuticals.  Probac can also manufacture probiotic strains in frozen and freeze-dried form for the food industry or clinical trials.

About Encap Drug Delivery

Encap is a leading provider of development and manufacturing services to the pharmaceutical industry.  Encap's state-of-the-art facility in the UK is the world's largest development and manufacturing facility dedicated to liquid filled hard capsules.  The company has 20 years experience of providing formulation, clinical and commercial manufacturing services to companies worldwide and is the approved manufacturing site for eight products that are commercially licensed in Europe.