18 September 2020 - DuPont Animal Nutrition, a business unit of DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences (DuPont), recently entered a partnership with Polish company Proteon Pharmaceuticals to bring bacteriophage technology to the poultry sectors of selected countries.
Phages are a critical part of the microbiome, naturally protecting animals and humans from bacteria. Due to their beneficial properties phages have also attracted investment in recent times due to the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Talking about Proteon, Aart Mateboer, business leader, DuPont Animal Nutrition, described the firm as a pioneer in bacteriophage technology used in animal farming. Proteon has been developing a precision phage development platform that uses omics technologies, molecular biology, bioinformatics and artificial intelligence to create antibacterial solutions for more than 10 years. Proteon was also the first company to develop precision bacteriophage-based feed additives to manage bacterial challenges in poultry.
Mateboer also sees Proteon’s technology as a good fit with DuPont Animal Nutrition’s own nutribiotic approach.
Dr. Jarosław Dastych, CEO of Proteon Pharmaceuticals, also welcomed the collaboration saying that he looked forward to the future and the work ahead to bring the benefits of bacteriophage technology as a feed additive solution to poultry producers globally.
Feedinfo touched base with both Mr. Mateboer and Dr. Dastych to talk a bit more about the collaboration and the promise of bacteriophage technology.
Dr. Jarosław Dastych
[Feedinfo] Dr. Dastych, as an outsider, what is your view of DuPont Animal Nutrition’s ‘nutribiosis’ concept? Do you think your technology is in good hands?
[Jarosław Dastych] We understand that nutribiosis is a concept describing the interaction between nutrition, microbiome and the gut and immune function. It’s an approach which aligns with our bacteriophage technologies in that we are actively developing them to impact the microbiology of the gut and influence the overall physiology of the animal. In this way, they can be seen to contribute to creating a favourable nutribiotic state in the animal. Looked at from this perspective, we believe that both companies are following a nutribiotic approach in their respective innovations. I trust in our technology and in our partnership with DuPont. I’m convinced that together, we can achieve more in the field of feed and food safety.
[Feedinfo] Dr. Dastych, with the advent of antibiotics in the early 20th century, phage therapy was quickly forgotten in the West. However, extensive research and clinical application of phage therapy continued in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Can you tell us a little more about how this historical heritage may have influenced the growth of Proteon?
[Jarosław Dastych] I don’t think being part of the former Eastern Bloc has had a critical impact on our growth. However, I would like to acknowledge that the strong tradition of research in bacteriophage therapy within the Polish scientific community has had a highly positive influence on our development. So too has the financial support provided by the EU; once Poland joined the bloc in 2004, funding opportunities became much more realistic and accessible - especially in the field of innovative technologies.
Proteon is built on my vision of delivering a modern and natural product to overcome bacterial challenges in livestock farming. It became the first company to develop stable bacteriophage-based feed additives for poultry. Since then we have created a precision biology, phage solution development platform. Omics technologies, molecular biology, bioinformatics and artificial intelligence (AI) are all used to create effective, reliable, and safe antibacterial solutions for animal health.
[Feedinfo] Bacteriophages are mainly known to be used commercially as promising alternatives to antibiotics to control food-borne pathogens such as Salmonella and Campylobacter. In your view why aren’t they more commonly used as feed additives in poultry today?
[Jarosław Dastych] For the last three decades, bacteriophages have not been considered or assessed. Now, as the industry faces increasing pressure to find alternatives to antibiotics, this field is reemerging as a possible solution - particularly as it is based on a natural technology. However, it is still not widely available, largely due to the fact that many companies are strong on R&D but limited in terms of access to the markets. As such, bacteriophages continue to be evaluated as a new feed additives category by regulatory authorities worldwide.
[Feedinfo] What are the challenges in producing bacteriophages for poultry?
[Jarosław Dastych] Proteon’s unique value proposition comes from the fact that we are perhaps alone in addressing the two main challenges in the bacteriophages space for animal farming,. One – we have identified the right lytic phages to target selected bacteria relevant to the poultry food chain. And two – we have created solutions that ensure the stability of phages in an industrial poultry farming environment. In fact, we have already confirmed the efficacy of our bacteriophages products via waterline application in commercial conditions.
[Feedinfo] It is understood that phages also help to achieve greater average weight gain and increase the number of beneficial gut bacteria in poultry. Mr Dastych, Proteon’s technology has been tested in Europe and Asia. What are you seeing in the trials your company has conducted?
[Jarosław Dastych] Our in vivo trials are focused on food safety. Indeed, in trials conducted on farms in various locations under different temperature conditions, we have observed noticeable additional benefits such as increased liveability and maintained performance. We do see the greatest potential for bacteriophage solutions in the food safety space where they can be used to meet rising consumer expectations.
[Feedinfo] DuPont Animal Nutrition and Proteon Pharmaceuticals will partner in some selected markets. Is awareness of the promise of phages stronger in some markets than others? Or is the regulatory situation complex for phages in certain countries?
[Aart Mateboer] As this is a new solution for the animal nutrition industry, we will invest in educating all stakeholders about the benefits phage technology can deliver. DuPont Animal Nutrition is following the required regulatory processes in all target markets, during which we will also be in close contact with the relevant authorities.
[Feedinfo] Can you talk more about division of labour and responsibilities?
[Aart Mateboer] Responsibilities are clearly defined within the partnership; research, production and the bacteriophage technology is within Proteon’s remit, while regulatory, sales and marketing activities sits with DuPont Animal Nutrition.
[Feedinfo] What will be the main priorities of the partnership for the rest of the year and into 2021?
[Aart Mateboer] The priorities of the partnership are to finalise the regulatory assessment in target markets, followed by product launches in the first half of 2021. An important part of the programme is an educational campaign, which we are developing together in order to raise awareness of bacteriophages as a natural feed additive that contributes to AMR mitigation.
Published in association with DuPont Animal Nutrition
