BLIS dental probiotic to get teeth into NZ market

Wednesday 3rd October 2012

BLIS Technologies has launched its new probiotic against tooth decay in the New Zealand market.

The Dunedin-based biotechnology company, which has been listed for 11 years, is marketing the BLIS M18 lozenge in New Zealand following its release in the US two years ago.

News of the New Zealand launch saw a 17% lift in its share price to 0.7 cents, though this follows a 78% fall over the past year.

Chief executive Barry Richardson said the company's probiotic bacteria, in which 'good' bacteria crowd out the bad, "have spent a long time on the runway."

"There's been a huge investment in the underlying and underpinning science," he said.

A recent US Federal Drug and Administration clearance beyond simply being able to be a dietary supplement, will provide greatly increased opportunities for the Dunedin-manufactured, freeze-dried ingredient powder to be incorporated in other manufacturers' products.

Lozenges, ice-creams or other products could use the BLIS M18 brand to promote their probiotic benefits.

Richardson said BLIS is obtaining an increasing amount of global science traction and endorsement for the efficacy of its Streptococcus salivarius bacteria. Fifty global patents have been approved for its K12 and M18 strains of oral cavity bacteria.

"These independent trials are showing positive results, which allows marketing companies to buy into the probiotic philosophy," he said.

"We've made huge strides forward over the past few years, and getting over the regulatory hurdles means the difficult tasks have really been done."

Richardson said the obvious next priority is to become cash-flow positive, and that the company could be vulnerable to a takeover as its shares are not particularly expensive.

BLIS has other product opportunities in the pipeline, Richardson said, but obtaining FDA approval will greatly aid the establishment of new marketing opportunities by its U.S.A-based distribution partner.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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