CORK, Ireland, May 12 /PRNewswire/ --

- Marketed as Align(R) by Procter Gamble

Alimentary Health Ltd. (Alimentary Health or the Company), the specialty gastrointestinal company, welcomes today's announcement from its licensing partner Procter Gamble (PG), that Align, a daily probiotic supplement clinically proven to naturally defend against episodic digestive upsets, is now available nationwide in the US. Previously only available on-line and through special order from pharmacists, Align is already the US's number one gastroenterologist-recommended probiotic supplement.

Align contains Bifidobacterium infantis 35624, Alimentary Health's probiotic technology trademarked by PG as Bifantis(R). Bifantis was developed by Alimentary Health, a global leader in the discovery, development and commercialisation of proprietary probiotic and pharmabiotic treatments for GI disorders and other inflammatory conditions, in partnership with PG. Alimentary Health, founded in 1999 with the support of Enterprise Ireland, is one of the founding partners of the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC), a UCC/Teagasc Research Centre focusing on gastrointestinal health and the development of new therapies for debilitating disorders such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome. The APC was initially established with funding from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI).

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that aid digestion and support a more desirable balance of healthy bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. Align is the only supplement that contains Bifantis, which has been clinically proven to help promote healthy bacteria in the digestive system and to help build and maintain an ongoing natural defence against episodes of digestive imbalance such as constipation, diarrhoea, urgency, gas and bloating.

Bifantis has been independently tested and evaluated in randomized, controlled human clinical trials. The resulting data has been published in top medical journals such as Gastroenterology and the American Journal of Gastroenterology, and additional peer reviewed journals including the New England Journal of Medicine continue to cite the benefits and clinical effectiveness of Bifantis as a way to help build and maintain an ongoing natural defence against digestive imbalance. In a recent study evaluating 16 different probiotic studies, only Align was found to have efficacy against abdominal pain, bloating and bowel movement difficulty.

Barry Kiely, CEO of Alimentary Health, said: The national launch of Align in the US is the realisation of a long and extremely successful collaboration between Alimentary Health and PG. We are proud that our clinically proven probiotic strain will be available to consumers across the US, marketed by the best known consumer goods company in the world. Today's announcement reinforces Alimentary Health's position as the global leader in the development and commercialization of clinically supported probiotic technology.

Susan Abeln, Principal Scientist at PG said, There are literally hundreds of probiotic supplements on the market today, however, many factors influence how well a probiotic works, and there are critical differences between strains that many consumers may not be aware of. Procter Gamble has spent years ensuring that Align is of the highest quality and delivers excellent results.

Notes to Editors

About Alimentary Health

Alimentary Health is a development stage speciality biotechnology company located in Ireland. The Company is focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of proprietary probiotic and pharmabiotic treatments for gastro-intestinal disorders and other inflammatory conditions. Alimentary Health is the foundation industry partner of the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre based at University College Cork, Ireland. http://www.alimentaryhealth.ie.

About Procter Gamble (NYSE:PG)

Three billion times a day, PG brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers(R), Tide(R), Ariel(R), Always(R), Whisper(R), Pantene(R), Mach3(R), Bounty(R), Dawn(R), Pringles(R), Charmin(R), Downy(R), Lenor(R), Iams(R), Crest(R), Oral-B(R), Actonel(R), Duracell(R), Olay(R), Head Shoulders(R), Wella(R), Gillette(R), and Braun(R). The PG community consists of almost 140,000 employees working in over 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about PG and its brands.

About Align(R)

Align is a daily probiotic supplement that helps build and maintain a strong and healthy digestive system**. Align works by providing a natural defence against episodic digestive upsets such as constipation, diarrhoea, abdominal discomfort, urgency, gas and bloating. Align is the only probiotic supplement containing the probiotic ingredient Bifantis (Bifidobacterium infantis 35624). Visit http://www.AlignGI.com for more information.

About Bifantis(R)

Bifantis (Bifidobacterium infantis 35624) is a probiotic strain that can help strengthen the body's natural defences and play an important role in basic digestion, proper metabolism and overall well-being. Bifantis is the only natural probiotic strain found in Align. Bifantis has clinically demonstrated that, when taken regularly, it can help promote normal digestive health. Capsules containing Bifantis deliver millions of good bacteria to the digestive system to restore intestinal balance and maintain normal digestive health. Visit http://www.Bifantis.com for more information.

Contact Information: Financial Dynamics Jonathan Birt/John Dineen, Tel: +44-(0)20-7269-7193

Contact Information: Financial Dynamics, Jonathan Birt/John Dineen, Tel: +44-(0)20-7269-7193