Harvard University Researchers Find Positive Effects Of Probiotic Yeast On Ecosystem Of The Healthy Human Microbiome -- Even In The Presence Of Potent Antibiotics

SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - October 21, 2014) -

For the first time, researchers Dr. Ciarán Kelly, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Director of Gastroenterology Training at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Dr. Toufic Kabbani, Gastroenterology fellow at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, utilized DNA technology to investigate the effects of Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 (Sb), a non-pathogenic probiotic yeast, and Amoxicillin/Clavulanate, a commonly prescribed antibiotic, on the microbiome of the healthy human GI tract, where 70 percent of our immune system resides. Key findings show the probiotic Sb can help to maintain and restore a healthy and balanced intestinal ecosystem.

"The findings clearly demonstrate what many clinicians and even our own grandmothers long suspected. Both friendly and potentially unfriendly bacteria are eliminated from the gut in the presence of commonly prescribed antibiotics," said Kelly. "This leaves those bacteria resistant to the antibiotic with the opportunity to grow out of control. However, supplementing the antibiotic treatment with this probiotic yeast, Sb, helps preserve a balance in key intestinal bacterial populations. This is significant because when taking potent antibiotics, intestinal upset often interrupts therapy. But in healthy humans, this unique non-bacterial probiotic actually helped maintain key bacterial population ratios to preserve intestinal balance."

"Why study the healthy human gut while so many research-worthy diseases struggle for funding? We believe the proverbial ounce of prevention can be discovered, if we use the latest technology to research healthy humans," said Marc Rohman, U.S. executive vice president and general manager of Biocodex USA. "It is clear that a healthy gut is critical to preserve good health. And these findings demonstrate that this probiotic yeast, now proven to preserve gut flora balance -- even when an antibiotic is on board -- can significantly contribute to preventative health care."

The findings of the study were presented simultaneously at United European Gastroenterology Week in Vienna and the American College of Gastroenterology 2014 Annual Scientific Meeting in Philadelphia.

About Biocodex USA
Biocodex USA is a Silicon Valley-based pharmaceutical company dedicated to providing its customers with meaningful health care solutions, with an emphasis on gastroenterology and oncology supportive care. Flagship products are Florastor, the #1 selling probiotic worldwide, and Totect, the only treatment approved by the FDA for anthracycline extravasation in chemotherapy. Biocodex USA is a subsidiary of Biocodex, a family-owned multinational pharmaceutical, research, development, manufacturing and commercial enterprise operating in more than 100 countries. Visit www.BiocodexUSA.com for more information.