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| Sheep help to combat C. diff super bug says biotech company | Sheep help to combat C. diff super bug says biotech company |
| (1 day later) | |
| Sheep could hold the key to an effective treatment against a drug-resistant super bug, says a Welsh biotech company. | Sheep could hold the key to an effective treatment against a drug-resistant super bug, says a Welsh biotech company. |
| MicroPharm Limited is looking to extract antibodies from the animal to fight Clostridium difficile (C. diff) infections in humans. | MicroPharm Limited is looking to extract antibodies from the animal to fight Clostridium difficile (C. diff) infections in humans. |
| If successful, clinical trials could start in humans in three years. | If successful, clinical trials could start in humans in three years. |
| Last year 1,646 people in Wales and England contracted the digestive tract infection and 10% died. | Last year 1,646 people in Wales and England contracted the digestive tract infection and 10% died. |
| MicroPharm, based in Newcastle Emlyn, Carmarthenshire, carried out the research with the help of an £800,000 grant from the UK's innovation agency, the Technology Strategy Board. | MicroPharm, based in Newcastle Emlyn, Carmarthenshire, carried out the research with the help of an £800,000 grant from the UK's innovation agency, the Technology Strategy Board. |
| "In some respects what we're doing isn't that revolutionary; it already occurs every day in nature," said Dr Geoff Shellswell, the company's chief operating officer. | "In some respects what we're doing isn't that revolutionary; it already occurs every day in nature," said Dr Geoff Shellswell, the company's chief operating officer. |
| "Most sheep and around 5% of humans live with C. diff in their gut and never know a thing about it. | "Most sheep and around 5% of humans live with C. diff in their gut and never know a thing about it. |
| "But the most common time to contract a bout of C. Diff, which will cause serious problems, is when you're receiving broad spectrum antibiotics. | "But the most common time to contract a bout of C. Diff, which will cause serious problems, is when you're receiving broad spectrum antibiotics. |
| "The drugs will knock out most other bacteria - including those which help protect against C. Diff - but because C. Diff has developed drug-resistant strains, it is left behind and can run rampant with no competition." | "The drugs will knock out most other bacteria - including those which help protect against C. Diff - but because C. Diff has developed drug-resistant strains, it is left behind and can run rampant with no competition." |
| MicroPharm has already used its expertise with antibodies to produce anti-venoms for dangerous snakes, such as the carpet viper found in Nigeria. | MicroPharm has already used its expertise with antibodies to produce anti-venoms for dangerous snakes, such as the carpet viper found in Nigeria. |
| To treat C. diff it is hoped that the serum could be extracted from the sheep's blood via a simple transfusion. | To treat C. diff it is hoped that the serum could be extracted from the sheep's blood via a simple transfusion. |
| The sheep are immunised with a dose of C. diff, in the same way as humans are vaccinated against flu. | |
| As they respond with an immune reaction, the antibodies created can be harvested from their blood. | |
| "The simple part is harvesting the antibodies from the blood," said Dr Shellswell. | |
| "It's just the same as taking blood for tests and causes the sheep no harm whatsoever. | "It's just the same as taking blood for tests and causes the sheep no harm whatsoever. |
| "In fact these will probably be the most pampered sheep in the world as we need them in absolutely A1 condition. | "In fact these will probably be the most pampered sheep in the world as we need them in absolutely A1 condition. |
| "The tricky bit is then removing the unwanted parts of the blood, isolating the antibodies, and concentrating them in sufficient quantities to fight a C. diff infection in a human." | "The tricky bit is then removing the unwanted parts of the blood, isolating the antibodies, and concentrating them in sufficient quantities to fight a C. diff infection in a human." |
| If the current research proves successful then it is hoped that the treatment could move to a phase two clinical trial with humans in the next three years. | If the current research proves successful then it is hoped that the treatment could move to a phase two clinical trial with humans in the next three years. |
| If everything then goes to plan the product could be on sale within the next 10 years. | If everything then goes to plan the product could be on sale within the next 10 years. |