Ferring and CDI sign agreement granting Ferring exclusive marketing rights to VSL#3® in Europe and Canada
SAINT-PREX, Switzerland–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Ferring Pharmaceuticals and CD Investments (CDI) announced today that they have signed an agreement granting Ferring exclusive European marketing rights to CDI’s VSL#3 ®. This agreement extends Ferring’s existing rights to market the product in the UK, Italy and Canada.
VSL#3 ® is a food supplement, containing 450 billion live bacteria in eight different strains per sachet, which colonizes the gut and benefits from a unique formulation. Research has confirmed that probiotic bacteria modulate mucosal and systemic immune activity and epithelial function (1), with favorable impact on gut health.
“VSL#3 ® expands our existing gastroenterology portfolio and is a key part of our regional pharmabiotic strategy,” said Gilles Pluntz, Senior Vice President Europe-Canada, Ferring Pharmaceuticals. “This agreement complements our innovative research in the area of the human microbiome, and reflects Ferring’s commitment to enhancing the quality of life of patients with a broad range of bowel conditions.”
“We are delighted to expand our collaboration with Ferring, and build on the current success of VSL#3 ® in the UK, Italy and Canada,” said Luca Guarna, President of the Board of Directors of CD Investments. “With the company’s long heritage in gastroenterology and commitment to patients, Ferring will help make VSL#3 ® a successful brand across Europe and Canada.”
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About VSL#3 ®
VSL#3 ® is a combination of live lactic acid bacteria that have been cultivated, freeze-dried and mixed in a very high concentration (hundreds of billions per gram). It contains eight different strains of bacteria which have been selected, cultivated in and mixed in proportions in order to optimize the functionality of the product. To learn more about VSL#3 ® please visitwww.vsl3pharma.com.
About the Microbiome
To understand the role that probiotics may have in influencing health, it is important to have an appreciation of the roles of the normal intestinal microbiome. The human body is host to trillions of microbes, bacteria, virus and fungi. This vast and complex microbial community is known as the microbiota. Each of the different microorganisms in the microbiota has its own unique set of genes. The collective name for all of the genes in the microbiota is the microbiome. Rapidly evolving science has uncovered a central role of the microbiome in human health and disease.
About Ferring Pharmaceuticals
Headquartered in Switzerland, Ferring Pharmaceuticals is a private research-driven, specialty biopharmaceutical group active in global markets. The company identifies, develops and markets innovative products in the areas of reproductive health, urology, gastroenterology, endocrinology and orthopaedics. Ferring has its own operating subsidiaries in nearly 60 countries and markets its products in 110 countries. To learn more about Ferring or its products please visit www.ferring.com.
About CD Investments (VSL Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
CD Investments is a holding company with three subsidiaries worldwide, CD Investments for the European market, CD Pharma India for the Asia-Pacific market and VSL Pharmaceuticals for the North, Central and South America.
CD Investments is focused on the development of products based on the technological platform of probiotic bacteria (lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria) for use as food supplement/nutraceuticals in various physiological/pathological conditions. The company has a number of patents which cover many aspects of the therapeutic and nutraceutical use of probiotics and of enzymes derived from probiotic bacteria, in different pathophysiological conditions, both as dietetic preparations, and food supplements, or as pharmaceutical products. To learn more about CD Investment please visit www.vsl3pharma.com.
(1) Fedorak R., J Clin Gastroenterol – Volume 42, Supp. 3, Part 1, September 2008 S111
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Contacts
Ferring Pharmaceuticals
Carine Julen
Tel. +41 58 301 01 78
carine.julen@ferring.com
or
C D Investments
Davide Grasso
Tel. +39 06 54211033
d.grasso@vsl3pharma.com