Scientist - News - 09-06-2009:

Bifantis more widely available — at least in the US
Beintema, Nienke

Nutrition multinational Proctor and Gamble (P&G) has announced that it will greatly expand its marketing strategy for its probiotic product containing Bifantis.

The atented strain Bifantis (Bifidobacterium infantis 35624) recently made the news as the only probiotic that is clinically proven to relieve the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The review, published in the April issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology, compared 13 popular probiotic strains and concluded that Bifantis was the only one to significantly reduce symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating and bowel movement difficulty.
P&G, which is marketing Bifantis in a capsule sold under the brand name Align, is using this impetus as an opportunity to market its product more widely. Until recently, Align was only available in the US through online stores or through special order from pharmacists. Now, it is also sold over-the-counter through a large variety of health stores throughout the US.

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Will the product be available in stores outside the US as well? "P&G is currently evaluating further expansion of Align," answers P&G spokesperson Velvet Gogol Bennett by email. The decision will depend on experiences in the US; Bennett doesn’t preclude the possibility.
Alimentary Health, the Ireland-based research company that developed Align together with P&G, confirms that the two companies are continuing their cooperation in order to develop other probiotic products, building upon the success of Bifantis. Which strains will be used in these products? John Bineen, spokesperson for Alimentary Health, cannot say at this point. Neither can Bennett for P&G.
There is, however, some more information that Bennett can share. "Align is great for anyone who would like to build and maintain a natural defense against five signs of digestive imbalance: constipation, diarrhea, urgency, gas and bloating," she writes. "Align is already the number one gastroenterologist-recommended probiotic supplement and meets the probiotic guidelines established by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics. These guidelines use criteria such as strain specificity, clinical proof, packaging and the quality and quantity of probiotics in a product."
European customers, at this point, will have to order the product online.

More information:
Review article in the American Journal of Gastroenterology
Reuters press release on expanded market launch
Website Align