May 20 – Imugene has announced the signing of a licence relating...

May 20 – Imugene has announced the signing of a licence relating to a new platform technology for the prevention, treatment and diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases in pigs. The 'Receptor Mimic Technology' is a new biological method for disease control and aims to improve animal health whilst reducing and replacing the use of antibiotics, drugs and chemicals in food producing animals. The technology utilises a harmless bacteria, which has been modified to display mimics of receptors that toxins naturally target. Toxins from the disease bind to the mimic receptors and are then excreted from the animal, preventing the binding of the toxins to natural receptors on the animal gut wall, thus preventing the disease affecting the animal. The first product aims to prevent Post Weaning Diarrhoea caused by the bacteria Escherischia coli. Further products to be developed will target a variety of other bacterial and viral causes of infectious gastrointestinal diseases in pigs.