New Probiotic Targets 40 Million Sufferers Of Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea

Main Category: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Also Included In: GastroIntestinal / Gastroenterology
Article Date: 16 Mar 2013 - 0:00 PDT


Convenient 10-Day Course Has Consumer Appeal And May Improve Adherence To Antibiotic Therapy

Miami-based bioceutical and nutritional supplement manufacturer Scimera BioScience® have announced the launch of its novel probiotic formulation, Asprega ProPac, to address the gastrointestinal side effects of antibiotic therapy including antibiotic-associated diarrhea, or AAD. Unique to ProPac, Scimera packages its probiotic in a convenient 10 day course to be taken along with a typical 10-day course of antibiotics.

Doctors and physician extenders in the U.S. prescribe more than 133 million courses of antibiotics each year, excluding hospital-based prescriptions. And among the patients who take these antibiotics, approximately 30%, or nearly 40 million, suffer from gastrointestinal distress and AAD. ProPac, which uses the same complex blend of 11 probiotic strains and saccharomyces boulardii yeast found in Scimera's Asprega product, addresses the "good bacteria" that can be disturbed during antibiotic therapy. It is thought that this disturbance of gastrointestinal flora causes the clinical symptoms of AAD.

"We have seen plenty of evidence over the past half-dozen years that probiotics can prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea for about 50 to 60% of patients who suffer from symptoms," said Frederick Chaleff, M.D., president and CEO of Scimera BioScience and one of the key players in formulating Asprega. "Now, with ProPac, we can offer patients an affordable option to address the side effects from taking their antibiotics."

Asprega ProPac's novel packaging, designed for a short 10-day course of use, provides pharmacies and other retailers with significant opportunity for ancillary sales along with each antibiotic prescription filled. Moreover, costing less than half of full-size packages of competing probiotics, customers will be able to sample probiotic usage far more affordably than in the past.

The launch of Asprega ProPac also holds potential to improve the likelihood that more patients taking antibiotics will complete their therapy. Failure to adhere to antibiotic therapy has contributed to growing antibiotic resistance. "Patients often discontinue use of their antibiotics once symptoms of their infection dissipate, especially if they're experiencing stomach upset and diarrhea," said Dr. Chaleff. "With the ProPac, we anticipate patients will better tolerate their antibiotic therapy, and ultimately complete their full antibiotic course of therapy."

At 20 billion CFUs, or "colony forming units," Asprega ProPac has more than double the potency of most probiotics. In addition, its special delayed-release capsule delivers maximum effectiveness deep in the digestive tract.

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