New collaboration between Neuraxpharm and Bened Biomedical expands portfolio of Consumer Healthcare products

LANGENFELD, Germany, May 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Neuraxpharm Group, a leading European specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) disorders, announces it will soon launch its first probiotic^[1] in the European market following an exclusive licensing agreement with the probiotics company Bened Biomedical Co., Ltd.

Bened Biomedical, an award winning 2015 spin-out from Taiwan-based National Yang-Ming University, develops functional probiotic strains that can alter human microbiome. The agreement secures Neuraxpharm exclusive rights to market its first probiotic, PS128™, in the European market.

This is Neuraxpharm's first launch of a probiotic product expanding the Company's portfolio of marketed Consumer Healthcare products. This is in line with its ambition of covering CNS therapeutics from prevention over standard therapeutics to value-added medicines. As the European Consumer Healthcare market continues to grow, this agreement opens new opportunities to promote the benefits of a broader range of probiotics to healthcare professionals and consumers.

In the last decades several studies have shown a crosstalk within the brain-gut-microbiome axis and the way gut and brain communicate. This occurs through the dynamic population of microorganisms (the gut microbiome) colonising the gastrointestinal tract, producing metabolites and interacting with the enteric nervous system and with the central nervous system.

The new Consumer Healthcare product will be manufactured in Europe and will first be launched in the Italian market, followed by other countries building on Neuraxpharm's European presence.

Dr. Jörg-Thomas Dierks, CEO of Neuraxpharm said: "We are delighted to launch our first probiotic into the European market. Our mission is to raise the standards of mental health care, and we continue to be committed to offering diversified and affordable products. We are deeply aware of the substantial unmet need in this area, and our goal is to make a proven and positive difference in the lives of millions of people struggling with mental health."

Mr. Frankie Cheng, CEO of Bened Biomedical commented: "I am enthusiastic to bring PS128™ to the European market. We look forward to implementing this agreement with Neuraxpharm as it offers a unique approach to the support of people battling CNS disorders, which we believe will be welcomed by doctors and patients alike."

Neuraxpharm continues to offer and develop a complete spectrum of therapeutic options in Depression, Psychosis / Schizophrenia, Epilepsy, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's disease.

About Neuraxpharm – the European CNS specialist

Neuraxpharm is a leading European specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of central nervous system disorders (CNS) with a direct presence in Germany, Spain, Italy, France, United Kingdom, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Backed by funds advised by Apax Partners, Neuraxpharm has a unique understanding of the CNS market built over 30 years.

With its focus on CNS, Neuraxpharm develops and commercializes value added medicines, standard generics and Consumer Healthcare products, e.g. nutraceuticals and probiotics, and is continuously striving to offer a wide range of effective, high quality and affordable CNS treatments in Europe.

Present with its products in more than 50 countries, Neuraxpharm also manufactures pharmaceutical forms and active pharmaceutical ingredients from its own manufacturing sites in Spain.

www.neuraxpharm.com

About Bened Biomedical

Bened Biomedical Co., Ltd. was founded in 2015 in Taipei, Taiwan, as a spin-out company from National Yang-Ming University (NYMU). The company focuses on advanced technologies and products in microbiome-based therapy for neuropsychological, allergic, immunological, metabolic, and aging-related disorders.

Bened inherited this deep academic link with over 30 years of technical research and development in probiotics by NYMU, and keeps this strong alliance by leveraging the university's resources.

With a recently published clinical trial adding up to previously peer-reviewed scientific papers, a milestone has been successfully completed to demonstrate the efficacy of its main asset, lactobacillus plantarum PS128^™. Series of upcoming clinical studies are scheduled on various mental health disorders to further develop this asset.

PS128^™, a novel psychobiotic that modulates microbiota-gut-brain axis, was awarded 'Probiotic Product of the Year' at the 2018 NutraIngredients-ASIA Awards and has 21 patents worldwide.

www.benedbiomed.com/en

^[1] According to the WHO, probiotics are defined as "live micro-organisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host".

SOURCE Neuraxpharm