GangaGen Life Sciences (GLSI) is developing a bacteriophage-based treatment designed to control bacterial contamination in food animals and animal wastes. Phages are a family of naturally occurring organisms that target and destroy specific bacteria. Due to the development of bacterial resistance to antibiotics, products based on phage technology may offer a much needed alternative. A wide variety of antibiotic resistant bacteria dangerous to humans also currently occur in food animals.
GLSI has identified the treatment of dangerous bacteria in food animals as a market in which its phage technology can have a significant impact. The company is hoping to target pathogens such as certain strains of Escherichia coli, Campylobacter and Salmonella that contribute to millions of cases of human illness every year. These bacteria typically originate from cattle, poultry or pigs.
Rainer Engelhardt, executive director, GLSI, commented, "GangaGen Life Sciences' phage treatment technology allows us to effectively combat in food animals a variety of bacterial pathogens that can be transmitted to humans and cause severe illness or even death. We believe this type of treatment to be more effective and safer than antibiotics because phages focus exclusively on targeting and destroying the specific dangerous bacteria and do not affect other bacteria or cells in the animal, resulting in no detrimental side effects. Once the phages eliminate the dangerous bacteria or reduce their levels to a certain low point, the likelihood of infection of people is greatly reduced."
Food contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 is responsible for 60,000 cases of human illness and numerous deaths in North America every year. GLSI has targeted the E. coli O157:H7 bacterial infection in cattle as an initial priority for its phage-based treatment. GLSI is also developing further phage products for the treatment of other human pathogens, such as Campylobacter and Salmonella bacteria, transferred to humans from food animals.
GLSI has a two-part proprietary product platform. The first is based on identifying and isolating those phages that are highly specific to human pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7. Essentially, the company is producing a phage cocktail for the treatment of particular bacterial infections. Depending on the market application, the cocktail can be used as a therapeutic to treat infections or as a preventative measure. Secondly, GLSI has a phage-based whole cell vaccine technology wherein the phage deactivates virulent bacteria, rendering them harmless and highly suitable for vaccination purposes. GLSI has exclusive rights to two patents pending with regards to this innovative technology that may greatly enhance vaccine efficacy in food animals, including vaccines to reduce their carriage of bacteria pathogenic to humans. GLSI is currently developing phage products for the treatment of E. coli O157:H7 infection. The next new products developed will be as treatments for Campylobacter and Salmonella, while vaccine development is a longer-term goal.
In addition to phage treatment of food animals, GLSI is targeting the treatment of the same human pathogenic bacteria in the environment, particularly in wastewater and animal waste, including manure used for liquid fertilizer. Dangerous bacteria often enter the human food chain through manure contamination of agricultural crops and of ground water that forms the source of drinking water. The first commercial launch of a phage product by GLSI is expected by late 2005.