Cardioviva™ Heart Health Probiotic Achieves FDA Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) Status

MONTREAL, Feb. 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Micropharma Limited, a pioneer in the development of innovative and effective probiotics, today announced that their heart health probiotic, Cardioviva™ (Lactobacillus reuteri NCIMB 30242), has obtained "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) status.

This U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designation signifies that Cardioviva™ is considered safe by experts to use as an ingredient in food. Of the top 10 probiotic supplements in the U.S., Cardioviva™ is one of two to achieve FDA's GRAS approval.

Cardioviva™ is a patented, natural probiotic bacteria strain of the species Lactobacillus reuteri, which has a long history of safe use in food. The specific Cardioviva™ strain has beneficial properties for cholesterol management, which Micropharma has demonstrated through peer-reviewed and published clinical studies.

"Achieving GRAS status is a major milestone for Micropharma and allows for accelerated product development and commercialization of the ingredient in a range of food and beverages formats both in the United States and international markets," said Ryan Jones, chief executive officer and co-founder of Micropharma Limited. "This further demonstrates the significant investment and high quality research being performed at Micropharma that allows the company to develop safe options for the management of health concerns such as cholesterol."

Micropharma is currently working with a number of multinational food companies on formulations of the product in food. Cardioviva™ is intended for use in a variety of foods including beverages and beverage bases, breakfast cereals, cheeses, dairy product analogs, fats and oils, frozen dairy desserts, grain products and pastas, milk, milk products, processed fruits and fruit juices, and sugar substitutes.

The Allowable Daily Intake (ADI) for Cardioviva™ is for levels up to 1 x 10 ^10 colony forming units (CFU) per serving for food use and intake.

Cardioviva™ will be sold at major retailers such as Walgreen's as a supplement, beginning on May 15, 2013. For food manufacturers interested in learning more, Cardioviva™ will be exhibiting at the Natural Products Expo West show in Anaheim, Calif., March 7 – 10, 2013.

About Cardioviva™
Cardioviva™ is a probiotic bacteria of the genus and species Lactobacillus reuteri. It acts through its capacity to produce bile salt hydrolase (BSH) enzyme and reduces cholesterol levels by decreasing absorption of dietary cholesterol and increasing metabolic elimination of cholesterol from the blood. Cardioviva™ has been shown to effectively reduce total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotien B 100 (ApoB-100), and non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) in human clinical trials. In addition to its cholesterol-lowering properties, Cardioviva™ provides traditional probiotic benefits such as improved digestive health and immune function.

Micropharma and its partners hold exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize Cardioviva™ for all indications.

About Micropharma Limited
Micropharma Limited, a pioneer in the development of innovative and effective probiotics, is launching a portfolio of natural supplements and food ingredient solutions aimed at addressing specific health markers to help maintain and improve health and wellness. Micropharma is specifically focused on products that address the healthy and natural metabolic balance and functioning of the microbiome, its resulting impact in the body and improving human health. By fostering strategic partnerships with leading manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, Micropharma is building a global network to deliver innovative and effective health-care solutions. For more information, visit Micropharma.net or MyCardioviva.com.

SOURCE Micropharma Limited