础听BioTech听company which has developed a rapid test that could be a 鈥榞ame–changer鈥� in combating tuberculosis in livestock has secured a 拢2.3m investment to help bring its product to market.听
The funding for PBD Biotech has come from a consortium led by fund managers Mercia and the Foresight Group, which were both investing through the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF); the University of Nottingham; the government鈥檚 Future Fund; and private investors including farmers and veterinary practices.听
The funding will allow the company to take its听Actiphage听test through to validation by the World Organisation for Animal Health, which will enable it to be adopted internationally.听
Bovine TB is a major problem in terms of animal welfare, resulting in the slaughter of over 300,000 cattle in Great Britain in the past decade and costing the UK taxpayer 拢500m.听听
The disease can spread to other animals including badgers and is thought to cause both TB and Crohn鈥檚 disease in humans.听
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The current skin test uses the animal鈥檚 immune response to indicate the level of infection and can miss up to 50% of infected cattle. By contrast,听Actiphage听detects the mycobacteria which cause disease from a blood or milk sample.
It is faster and more accurate, allowing farmers to identify infected animals at an early stage and remove them from the herd.听听
Potential uses include rapid screening of cattle prior to movement, quality assurance in dairy products and to differentiate infected animals from those that are vaccinated, paving the way for the introduction of a vaccination programme.听
Actiphage听recently won the British Veterinary Association Innovation Award 2021 and was described as 鈥榟aving the potential to be a game-changer in tackling bovine TB鈥�.听There is also potential for the test to be adapted for use in humans.听听
A University of Nottingham spin-out, PBD Biotech is based at the university with an office in Thurston, Suffolk. The company currently employs six people and expects to create more than 10 new jobs over the next three years.听
Sandy Reid, Investment Director at Mercia,听said: 鈥淧BD Biotech鈥檚听Actiphage听test could radically improve disease control in the dairy sector, offering huge economic benefits for farmers both in the UK and internationally.听听
鈥�This investment comes at a key moment in the company鈥檚 development as it will allow crucial validation trials to start 鈥� a key step to accelerate its progress on to the farms.听听
鈥�We are also excited about the potential to further develop the test to detect TB in human blood samples.鈥�听
Mark Hammond (above), CEO of PBD Biotech, says: 鈥淚t has been shown on-farm that when Actiphage听is used within a disease management strategy it is possible to eliminate bovine TB from a herd and maintain a disease-free status.听听
鈥�There is a significant international unmet need for a rapid test like听Actiphage; with this funding we will be able to perform the validation studies required for regulatory approval and drive commercialisation of the technology.鈥�听
Ken Cooper, Managing Director at the British 老九品茶 Bank, said: 鈥淭hrough a combination of finance from the Future Fund, MEIF and other stakeholders, this investment is another example of how MEIF can unlock additional capital from the other investors.听听
鈥�The Fund is committed to driving forward Midlands鈥� innovation and we look forward to seeing PBD Biotech reaching the next level as it takes its听Actiphage听test through to validation.鈥�听