FDBusiness.com

Spanish biotech company AB-BIOTICS has entered the North American market after signing a license agreement with Aceto Corporation. The deal gives exclusive distribution rights to Aceto Corporation for AB-BIOTECS’ cholesterol-lowering probiotic AB-LIFE in the United States and Canada.

AB-BIOTICS estimates the contract value is nearly Eur3.5 million over the contract period: three and a half years. AB-LIFE will be released in the next six months in the North American market, with great sales potential as over 100 million adults in the US alone have total blood cholesterol values higher than normal (200mg/dl), according to the American Heart Association.

The contract marks a significant milestone for AB-BIOTICS, since the United States and Canada are two priority markets for the company’s internationalisation plan.

With 65 years of experience in the distribution of pharmaceutical and nutritional ingredients, Aceto Corporation’s profile makes it an ideal partner to accompany AB-BIOTICS in its entry into the US market. Aceto Corporation distributes components for global firms in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, agricultural and chemical industries. It also has a strong sales network in China and India, which opens for AB-BIOTICS the door to a possible future entry into the Asian market.

The agreement with Aceto Corporation is the fifth international license agreement signed by AB-BIOTICS so far this year. The probiotic AB-LIFE already has license agreements in Mexico, Brazil and Venezuela through the pharmaceutical companies Armstrong Laboratories, LETI Laboratories and BIOLAB, respectively, while the Slovenian firm INSPHARMA has the distribution rights of the product in Southeast Europe (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania. In Spain, AB-LIFE is marketed by LACER Laboratories under the trade name “Primacol with Lactobacillus AB-LIFE.

CAPTION:

Sergi Audivert  and Miquel Angel Bonachera, co-founders and chief executives of AB-BIOTICS.