PROBIOTEARS intends to deliver the first probiotic-based treatment for conjunctivitis. This new product addresses a limitation existing both at European and Global levels, as it is the topical treatment of conjunctivitis without side effects.
With respect to allergic conjunctivitis, the innovative feature of our approach represents the fast inmuno-modulatory response that probiotics can achieve in comparison to the existing antiallergic treatments available, such as mast cell stabilizers or inmunosupressants. In addition, the anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects of our probiotic strain are widely proven. The dosage pattern of probiotics also provides an advantage as it can be formulated to achieve a unique administration per day instead of 2-4 times daily or even administration patterns of every 4 hours.
The main novelty of the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis based on live probiotics is that it modulates the healthy microbiota, targeting in a specific way the pathogenic strains and interacting positively with the rest of the ecosystem. The dysbiosis caused by antibiotics may cause secondary complications due to pathogens overgrowth or alteration of the immunomodulatory pathways where the microbiota is involved. Probiotics not only overcome these complications but also provide an anti-inflammatory and anti-histaminic effect in a same API.
In addition, probiotics for ocular treatment of conjunctivitis avoid the side effects of current treatments, which in some cases may cause vision-threatening or severe systemic complications (see table 1). Furthermore, probiotics are compatible with the use of all types of contact lenses, specially contact lenses for long-term use, as the eye might be more exposed to infection due to hygienic issues in the lenses daycare. Probiotics can modulate the biofilm formation on the lenses towards a beneficial biofilm and preventing the overgrowth of pathogens. This represents a relevant advantage given that most of the existing ocular drugs are not compatible with contact lenses and wearers need to stop their use during treatment.
Finally, this novel approach can be useful to reduce the cost of the full treatment for patients and for Health Institutions. Existing therapies are long-term based and require weeks and sometimes months of treatment to reach the desired effect, while a probiotic therapy needs a few days or even hours to show an antiallergic effect. In some countries (e.g. Spain) inmunosupressors for ocular application are only accepted as compassive use and upon personalized formulation, with the high cost that this represents, whereas in other countries (e.g. Germany), the price of a monodose package of 30x0.3mL oscillates around 110€. Regarding cheaper treatments as antibiotic or anti-inflammatories, PROBIOTEARS’ improved features justify a similar or even higher price, since the probiotic eye-drops or ointment assembles the antagonism against pathogens with the anti-inflammatory, anti-histaminic and inmuno-modulating effects.
ABB, in this first phase of the PROBIOTEARS project, has conducted a feasibility study for this innovative product that intends to become an advance in the state of the art in ocular treatments by the application of probiotics. The main objective that AB BIOTICS considers after this first phase is to apply to a second one to make the product reach the market.
